


Geeking Out Over Touhou Characters Is WAY More Fun When You Share a Body With Them!

by Kireizaki



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Breastfeeding, F/F, Isekai, Sex, Sharing a Body, Yuri, mistress/servant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:41:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24204562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kireizaki/pseuds/Kireizaki
Summary: A Tokyo otaku finds herself whisked away to the world of Gensokyo—and is sharing a body with Patchouli Knowledge, no less!
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Patchouli Knowledge/Koakuma
Comments: 7
Kudos: 12





	1. Arrival Arc: One Last Night in Tokyo

**Author's Note:**

> A while ago, my wife and I had the vague idea of writing "an isekai story where someone becomes Patchouli and just has an amazing time getting cozy with Koakuma". It was a small thing, but I was really determined to visit it at some point since I love those two a ton, so we expanded the idea greatly and came up with what you see now! As the chapter names imply, this is the start of something I plan to update from time to time, where I'll update it with an entire arc at a time whenever the mood takes me. 
> 
> I had a ton of fun writing this, and while there's plenty I want to get to in the meanwhile, I've already got some fun ideas for when I return to this! I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> We've had a bit of a rough time lately, hence the big gap in uploads, but if you like this or my other writing, I have a Ko-Fi set up as a small tip jar! Every little bit helps, but don't worry if you can't afford it (it's a rough time for everyone) or aren't interested, just knowing people are reading my work cheers me up immensely. https://ko-fi.com/kireizaki

“Aaand done! Sacchan, I got my dailies wrapped up! Ehehe, it was worth staying up so late~! Now I’ll be set for a 10-roll when the next event starts!”

“Nice work! But you know you have class tomorrow, right Hina?”

“Ufufu~ Oh ye of little faith, I’ve worked out everything! 

I just won’t go!”

“…”

“Sacchan? Did the call disconnect?”

“No, no! I’m here, I’m just surprised you’re being so carefree right before a track meet…”

“It’s OK! My coach’ll chew me out, but as long as I finish in first, it’ll all be swept under the rug! I’ll sleep in really late tomorrow, and then spend all afternoon training!”

“Are you sure, Hina? It sounds risky…”

“Too late to do anything about it now, ehehe… But don’t worry, it’ll be fine, Sacchan! Promise!”

My camera wasn’t on or anything, so there was no way Sacchan, my best friend in the whole world, could see the “V” I was flashing the roof of my bedroom, but I was certain she could feel the power behind it. We were connected, after all! That’s how I knew she was smiling all cutely back at me, even though she was in her apartment on the other side of the city!

“Hmmm, if you’re so sure, then I guess I have no choice but to believe you. Right, Hina?”

See?! She was being a total sweetie! Told you we were connected!

“Hehe! Yeah, that’s the spirit! You gonna come watch the next meet, Sacchan?”

“Of course! I’ll always be there to cheer you on! Haaah, you always look _so_ cool when you run, Hina… I wish I could be as amazing as you...”

“You kidding me, Sacchan? You’re the coolest, cutest friend a girl could ask for! No way I could run the way I do without you right there alongside me!”

“Wha?!”

_Oh wow, that little squeak was sooooo cute, Sacchan!_

“N-N-N-N-N-No way that’s true! You’ve always been amazing…”

“Just look at my times! Sure, I was fast before I met’cha, but everything after that has been getting better and better!”

“That’s just because you’ve been training so hard...”

“Well, then you’re the one motivating me to train!

I grinned so hard I just knew she could feel it. No way I was letting this conversation end without Sacchan knowing exactly how amazing she is, even if she had a hard time hearing it! 

“But hey hey, Sacchan? Did you read that thing I gave you?”

“I did! It was so good!”

_Haaah, that’s the stuff! You’re sounding extra perked up now, Sacchan!_

Now hey, lemme tell you a bit about Sacchan and me, huh? We’re both students at a really big, prestigious university in Tokyo! I used to live up in Chiba, but I got scouted ‘cause I’m a pretty good sprinter. Sacchan’ll tell you I’m the “coolest, most incredible sprinter ever!” but that’s just because she’s a total sweetheart.

Problem with being scouted for sports and stuff, though, is that you kinda start to attract a lotta attention, even if you don’t want it. I’d been at the university for about a week before I had my very own fan club start up, and it was flattering, yeah, but it made it super hard to make friends! I couldn’t tell if people actually liked me for me, or because I was in the spotlight.

Sacchan, or Saori if you wanna use her proper name, was the first person I met here who didn’t make me worry about that stuff. Not that she wasn’t a fan of my sprinting, though, ‘cuz, well, it’s not hard to see that she is one.

“F-sensei’s always the best with those two, don’t you think, Hina? I could just feel their love for Patchy on every page!”

“Uh-huh! Yeah, it’s really amazing! Ooooh, and the way they drew Koakuma’s boobs, ehehe… Bet they’d be fun to suck...”

“Mhmm! And Patchy’s butt looked extra soft, too… Haah, I want her to just bury me in those cheeks…”

But put aside any impact my sprinting mighta had, because _this_ is what really kept our friendship going! Our chemistry together was just too good! We could bond over _anything_ , no matter how dorky or pervy it was! And, in case you couldn’t tell, we were going all-in on both fronts tonight!

This was a side I hid away from everyone else back in Chiba, and I put it on super lockdown when I moved to Tokyo. Wanted to make a good first impression, y’know? But I kinda hated how closed in I felt because of it. There was this huge part of my life that I just couldn’t ever open up about. To the rest of the world, I was a star sprinter and nothing else. 

So, when I ran into Sacchan in our university’s library one day and saw a buncha doujinshi that just happened to be right up my street fall out of her bag, I knew I’d found a kindred spirit! She looked so embarrassed at first, but the way she started smiling when I told her I recognized a bunch of it was amazing! We’d gone from total strangers to comrades-in-arms over a single afternoon!

Turned out we had a lot more in common than we thought, too! It didn’t get as much of a spotlight as my sprinting, but Sacchan was a real prodigy! The kind who everyone from parents to professors just knew would go on to really change the world for the better one day. I knew Sacchan could do it if she wanted, but she didn’t wanna have her life under a spotlight either. She just wanted someone she could be comfy and happy with without ever feeling like she had to meet some crazy high standards, and in me, she finally found a friend who let her do just that.

Yep, we’re definitely soulmates! But uhh, the friendly kind, y’know? I know I said all that stuff about her being cute and cool and...w-well, look, let’s just drop that part, huh? Point is, we’re connected!

...But thankfully not so connected that she could see me sittin’ around in nothing but my underwear. Ahh! Y’know, not that there’d be anything wrong with her seeing me like that. She’s a friend! A _friend_! Don’t even know why I brought this up!

“F-sensei really makes the two of them look soooo sexy! Not that they need much help, huh?”

“Hmm, their original designs aren’t sexy at all, though. Patchy’s small and skinny, and Koakuma’s very slender and cute… They’re still lovely, but well…”

“Eh, who cares about that? So much of the fandom recognizes that Patchy’s a soft, plushy hottie, and Koakuma’s a real bombshell! Heck, if we let canon dictate all this stuff, we wouldn’t talk about Koakuma much at all, and that’d be a tragedy!”

“It would be, it definitely would…”

Sacchan sounded really grave and serious. Touhou was a really special series to both of us, but fan works were easily the biggest reason why. My favorite character was Patchouli Knowledge, a hermit of a witch who spent her days researching magic in the Scarlet Devil Mansion’s library. There was something so amazing about cute, kinda serious girls like her that just left me breathless, and the way fans gave her a cushy figure to match her shut-in lifestyle totally enriched that for me! And honestly, as much as I liked running, I kinda wished I could take it easy like her one day…

Maybe after university...

Anyway! While my favorite was Patchy, Sacchan was really into the sweet, hardworking Koakuma, Patchy’s faithful familiar who assisted her in any way she could! She never said it out loud, but I think Sacchan really wanted that for herself, to be close to someone she could support and love. She didn’t have a single line of dialogue in canon works, but fans had latched onto her—and made her really sexy and voluptuous, to boot!

Haah, there’s nothing better than doujinshi!

"So don't worry about it! Canon ain't cast in stone. Sure, it's where all that stuff we love comes from, but you've gotta use that as a launchpad, y'know? A way to carve out your own love and enjoy something on your own terms. Who could ever get upset about something like that?"

"Ehehe, yeah, I guess so... But umm, Hina?”

“What’s up, Sacchan?”

“It’s OK, right? Someone like me liking games and ummm...porn and all that?”

“Of course! It’s all part of who you are! Sure, it’s tough to talk about, and I’m not tellin’ ya to go shout out that you love ero doujinshi on campus or anything, but if anyone ever makes you feel like you can’t enjoy it, I’ll give ‘em a piece of my mind, ‘k?”

“Ehehe… You sound like a delinquent, Hina.”

“OK, look, I’m not gonna fight them or anything, but...well, I’ll always really love this side of you, no matter what anyone else says. I’d be super sad if you locked that away. Be pretty lonely, too!”

It was hard to hug someone over the internet, but I was doing my best to right now. I really did hope Sacchan could feel that.

“You’re the best, Hina.”

“You too!”

“But jeez, it’s awful that it’s not easier to just embrace this stuff. I know I can’t be public about it, especially not the dirtier stuff, but...ahaha, I just wish I wasn’t locked into this image everyone has of me. Everyone thinks I need to act like an honor student every second of every day, and it’s just really draining…

Oh gosh! Sorry Hina, I started getting really depressing, huh?”

“No no! Don’t ever apologize for that sorta thing, OK? We’re best friends, we’ve gotta be able to talk about this stuff when we’re down!”

“Got it!”

I could tell Sacchan was smiling. Around me, at least, she was so good at picking herself right back up when she was scared. She once told me it was all ‘cuz of me, but I just knew that one day she’d get strong enough to stay that upbeat in front of anyone!

“But did you see that F-sensei’s got a sequel coming out soon? It sounds like it’s about Patchy and Koakuma switching bodies!”

“Ohoh? I didn’t see that, but I bet that’ll be crazy fun! Koakuma’s gonna tease her so much!”

“Mmm! But only because she knows it’ll make her Patchouli happy! She’d never want to upset her or-hmm?”

“Sacchan? You OK?”

“Oh umm, I felt pretty lightheaded for a moment. It looks like everything's getting rather bright…”

“Ehehe, getting all dizzy thinking about those two? I get it! They’re the best!”

“Well, they always get me pretty excited but...hmm, what is that? That looks a little-”

What happened next was...weird, honestly. That’s the only word for it. I heard some kinda flash ( _can_ you hear a flash? It was...sparkly, I guess? Like a magical girl casting a spell? Any of this helping?) and then things on the other end just...cut off. No sound, no nothing.

“Sacchan?”

Nada. The call was still connected, though.

“Heyyy, Sacchan? You OK?”

Still nothing.

“Sacchaaaaan! Ahhh, my poor Sacchan’s been taken from me!”

Nah, I knew it was nothing like that. Her power probably cut out in her apartment, router acting dumb, or something like that. She mentioned things looking bright, so maybe there was a surge. Since that was probably the case, the call would cut after a few more seconds anyway, so I figured I’d just speed up the process and end it myself. When I was done, I picked up my phone and typed out a quick text for Sacchan.

「Power cut, Sacchan? Either way, it’s pretty late! Think I’m gonna call it a night myself. Let’s hang out tomorrow night too, k? You’re the best, so don’t ever get down on yourself about this stuff! Just know that I’m by your side no matter what! Sleep tight~!」

“But hmm, that new doujin Sacchan mentioned sounded pretty good, maybe I should see if they’ve posted any previews anywhere… Oooh, or maybe it’s even out already!”

I looked up the artist’s twitter account, and sure enough, saw a link to their latest work, posted just a few minutes earlier.

“Oh no! Sacchan coulda seen this before bed! Ah well, just means we’ll get to gush about it together tomorrow!”

And let me tell you: this one looked _amazing_! F-sensei’s work was getting better and better!

“Patchy with Koakuma’s personality, uhuhuhu…

Oh jeez, now she’s making Patchy call _her_ mistress! Woooow!”

Totally in awe of the genius on display, I pulled down my panties and leaned in close to the screen, savoring every pixel of what I was getting to witness while my hand came to rest over my crotch. It felt soooo good.

“Patchouliiii, you’re so sexy…”

I was definitely getting more worked up than usual, my heart beating at a mile a minute, but I never wanted this to end. I was just captivated by it all. Every inch of her curvy, huggable body looked so amazing, so soft and gorgeous…

And then suddenly it was getting blocked out by some weird light! What the heck?!

“Eh? Huh?”

My whole apartment seemed ultra bright for some reason. I could barely see a thing all of a sudden. But...why? What the heck was even going on? And why was it coming up from under me?!

“What the…?”

It was like all the air had been sucked straight outta my lungs.

And yeah I know there coulda been a reason for that, but it wasn’t because the doujin had made me breathless, I promise.

Maybe it was the way Sacchan’s call had ended that was getting to me, making me all paranoid, or maybe I was just _too_ thirsty and hallucinating like crazy, but either way, my eyes were definitely seeing what looked like a magic circle on the floor, slowly rotating and shining under my feet.

No, I hadn’t seen an actual magic circle before, but I promise that this was one. At least, it sure looked the part.

“Ah-”

And just like you’d expect from a magic circle, it brightened to an almost blinding degree as it opened up beneath me and sent me tumbling straight through it before I could give it even a second more thought.

I couldn’t tell you how far I’d fallen, if I’d really fallen at all, by the time everything went black.


	2. Arrival Arc: Waking Amongst the Books

_Sacchan…_

_Let’s talk again tonight, Sacchan…_

I’d dozed off, I assume.

“...tress…”

Groggy after waking from that bizarre dream, I felt as if I was floating, submerged in an ocean so vast that it was a world unto itself. My limbs felt light and heavy all at once, and I was too dazed to open my eyes, as if I’d be greeted by the sight of something I had no business of gazing upon if I did.

“...Brought you a cup… I'm certain you'll enjoy…”

I was talking with...Sacchan, I remember that much clearly. So when did things take the turn they did? She spoke about doujinshi, and then…

Then what? There was simply no way the memories I had from that point onwards could be real.

And then I felt a hand rest on my side. It was such a gentle, slight touch, and yet that was all it took to completely rid me of my fugue state. Gone was the ocean, replaced by a sea of bedsheets.

“Mistress? Did you have a pleasant dream?”

A sweet, calming voice caressed me, and I finally found the strength to open my eyes.

There wasn’t some strange, forbidden sight awaiting me, but instead a wall of books, piled higher than I ever thought possible.

_Wait, what?!_

“Mukyu?!”

“Oh my~! Maybe it wasn’t as pleasant as I thought!”

_Why’s someone here with me?! My apartment was locked, wasn’t it?!_

I picked myself up as quickly as I could, fighting a heavy, unpleasant weight down at my chest all the while.

And if the books had once seemed strange to me, the devil in front of me quickly showed me how silly it was to be put off by something so mundane.

“Hmm, I suppose the blend of chamomile wasn’t as high-quality as I’d been led to believe. Don’t worry, Mistress! I’ll make sure to find something to satisfy even your exacting tastes!”

And yet, her sweet, somewhat teasing smile was instantly familiar to me.

“...Koakuma?”

“Ehehe, didn’t recognize me at first? It’s been quite some time since you slept, so I understand if you’re groggy, Mistress! But, yup~! It’s me, your faithful familiar!”

“...Back to bed.”

No, I was still dreaming. I had to be. I lay back down and pulled the covers right over my head.

“Uwaaaah! Mistress! At least try the royal milk tea I made! I know you’ll love it! Sakuya taught me how to prepare it perfectly!”

“Sakuya?”

“Mhmm! I know I’m not as good as she is with these things, but I’ll surpass even her one day!”

None of this could be real. There was simply no way it could be. But…

_If it’s a dream, it’d be a shame to let it end so fast, right?_

_And tea sounds lovely right now…_

“Very well…”

I picked myself back upright, moving much slower this time, and faced the woman who claimed to be Koakuma. Maybe I had gone to bed too late last night, I was normally way better at waking up than this.

“Ehehe, perfect! Well, not that I had any worry you wouldn’t want to wake up now. Our contract means that without verbal consent, I won’t do anything that goes against your wishes, Mistress! So I just knew you’d want nothing more than to wake up to your lovely familiar and a nice warm drink! Not that I’d think of doing anything bad if the contract wasn’t there, of course!”

_That’s...that’s really her though, right? I mean, as real as she can be in a dream, I guess._

The way she carried herself so sweetly, the wings on her back and the sides of her head gently flapping along as she moved to and fro to tend to me, even her clothing, a black-and-white dress of undeniably high-quality, with a necktie in a shade of scarlet that perfectly matched her long, silky hair...it was all a perfect match for the devil I knew to be Koakuma.

_Though she’s kinda...small, isn’t she? She’s super cute, but all the doujinshi made her look really sexy…_

“Ah! You don’t have a fever, do you Mistress? Your cheeks have turned bright red!”

“I-I’m fine! Thank you for your concern.”

“Of course! It’s a familiar’s job to care for her Mistress’s every need!”

_The way she smiled and winked at me… If she wasn’t always like this, I’d assume she was in particularly high spirits._

_Y’know, given what I know of her from doujinshi and stuff. I don’t actually know what Koakuma’s like..._

“Now why don’t you help yourself to some tea, hmm? It might get cold if you leave it too long!”

I nodded and reached out toward the teacup on the nightstand, freezing as my fingers came to rest on the cup.

_What the heck?!_

Why hadn’t I realized it earlier?

Why had I been so blind and completely overlooked the most important part of this whole situation?!

“Mistress…?”

“Mistress…”

I repeated her words under my breath. It had been right in front of me this entire time, and I’d somehow brushed it aside like it was nothing at all.

She was Koakuma, she’d mentioned working with a woman named Sakuya, and judging by the array of books that surrounded me, I was in an impossibly vast library.

But it was her calling me “Mistress,” and her insistence that she was my “faithful familiar” that really stuck out.

Everything else gave me more than enough clues to work it out, but it took me seeing a long, light purple sleeve and my thin, pale hands to realize what that meant my place in this world really was. 

Gah, how could I have been so friggin’ stupid?!

I pulled the bed sheets off of my body and picked myself up out of bed, rushing toward a place where I somehow knew I’d find a mirror. My movement was sluggish, but then again, that was to be expected.

“Mistreeess!”

My chest pounded like a drum, and my breathing grew heavier with each step, but that didn’t matter. Koakuma followed me, but I paid her no mind.

And then I found the mirror and saw my reflection. 

“That’s…”

“Mistress, you mustn’t push yourself too hard!”

My strong, toned build, the result of years and years of effort. My tanned skin, the product of hours under the beating sun. The confident grin that came from a life under a spotlight.

Precisely none of that was there anymore.

What was there, however, was a short, skinny, almost unhealthily pale girl with purple hair and an aloof, distant expression, clad in what was, for all intents and purposes, a set of pajamas.

“Mistress Patchouli, please ask me next time you need a mirror! I would have happily rushed to bring you one!”

And as Koakuma lay her hands on my shoulders, and a name—my name—passed through her lips, everything fell into place.

_This is so friggin’ cool!_

And barely a second later, I grew so excited that I passed out in my familiar’s arms.

~~~

“Jeez, Mistress Patchouli! You really scared me!”

I smiled faintly at Koakuma by way of an apology. Dream or not, it seemed I’d given her quite a scare, and it seemed better to err on the side of caution rather than risk offending her, especially with some of the fan interpretations of her I’d seen, and devils like her do love to cause trouble...

Then again, my money was pretty firmly on this being a dream, still. Okay, it was a completely, super-real-feeling dream where I got more winded than I ever had even during my most intense training sessions, and the bed felt extremely soft and comfortable, and Koakuma’s arms around me were very, very warm…

Okay, so it was 50/50? Maybe?

Regardless, there was no harm in treating it like it was real, and certainly no harm in enjoying things while I could, just in case there was some timer on this. I mean, after all, I was Patchy! Yeah, sure, I was the small Patchy, but Patchy is Patchy! I can’t help but get excited over that! And a little proud too, but I get the nagging feeling that’s a bit narcissistic somehow, is it not? I mean, appreciating a body I’ve had all my life like that is…

No no no, that’s not right! I was tall, and tanned, and toned before! As easy it is to fall into the pace of Koakuma and my surroundings, I can still remember that much, at least! Kinda. I dunno, it feels odd thinking about myself like that, but it feels odd thinking of myself like this, too!

Bah, I bet this wouldn’t even be a problem if my stupid head had managed to give me the right dream! I mean, come on! This is great and all, but _small_ Patchy?! And _cute_ Koakuma?! Dream bigger, me! Literally! Koakuma’s supposed to be a total bombshell, and I’m supposed to be a soft, curvy-wurvy shut-in with a big everything!

Still...even if it wasn’t quite that, looking down at my own body and the striped pajamas I was wearing...knowing that I’m _any_ version of her... Look, I’m keeping it to myself for now, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel particularly hot and bothered by it all. Nah, scratch that, I was completely turned on. Just a horny wreck. But there’s no way I’m doing anything about that with Koakuma around.

So...you know, I’m in a dream that might not be a dream, in a body that’s mine but also not mine, and so aroused that I can hardly stand it. I was used to at least a third of that. How hard could dealing with the rest be?

_Haaah, I really wish Sacchan could be here for this, though!_

“Mistress, the tea I made for you this morning has grown cold, but I can prepare another cup for you now if you’d like one! It doesn’t have to be tea, either! I’ve been practicing making coffee lately as well, and I’m very confident in my abilities! And of course, if you’d like a snack to go along with it, your faithful familiar will track down anything your heart desires!”

“Just tea, thank you, Koakuma. Feel free to make a cup for yourself, as well.”

_Whoa! I’m really getting into the role! Ahaha, guess I know Patchy even better than I think! It all sounds so natural, too!_

“Wonderful! Royal milk tea, coming right up~!”

While Koakuma skipped off with a spring in her step, I took the time to really size up my surroundings and see just how good of a job my head had done at recreating the library.

And lemme tell you, it was huge! Yeah, I’m way shorter now, but that doesn’t matter. Any way you slice it, this place really was crazy massive, with enough books to fill an entire city! And if this was just a single room in the mansion...well, I had a lot of exploring to do. Heck, I’ve got all of Gensokyo to see, not just the mansion!

But first...well, there’s a whole library to read through. I’d hate to lose sight of that. And I’m certain that almost every single book should prove to be utterly fascinating! I may not have been much of a reader before, but looking at the stacks, and piles, and shelves, and walls of books in front of me...even my interest was piqued, to say the least.

“I’ve brought the tea! I’m sure there’s a book you’re eager to get through, Mistress, but why not sit and rest with me for a while, hmm? I can find whatever it is you’re looking for when we’re done!” Koakuma smiled, sitting on the big, plushy couch I’d been resting on earlier and patting the empty space next to her.

A part of me hardly cared about the tea anymore, and simply wanted to make off for the nearest book, plant myself down, and not move another inch, but I managed to pull myself away after a bit of deliberation and no small force of will.

“Mm, thank you Koakuma,” I nodded, taking a seat at her side.

“Oh~?! Mistress Patchouli’s getting awfully cozy with me today! I thought you’d take the armchair, for sure!”

“You were gesturing to this space. I simply thought it best to indulge you as thanks for your assistance.”

_And you’re so friggin’ cute there’s no way I wouldn’t wanna snuggle up with you!_

There was totally some weird part of me that was cheesed off with how big of a deal she was making over something as small as sitting next to her, but the bigger, gayer part of me was too busy fussing over just how adorable she was! Sure sure, I know I’ve complained about her not being the bombshell Koakuma I love to see, but that devilish, slightly-flustered smile of hers was just too~ cute!

And, hey, even if the body wasn’t one-to-one with what I prefer, the outfit was totally in my strike zone. I wasn’t too picky about what I like Koakuma in (Sacchan, though, would totally talk your ear off about hers), which is good, cause fans really ran wild with her, tossing her in all kinds of things, making her look like a butler, a bartender, and everything in between.

This Koakuma, though, the one handing me a cup of piping-hot tea on a small saucer, was wearing a very tasteful, refined jumper dress with a rather smart, ruffled blouse underneath. Whoever was in charge of her wardrobe certainly had quite good taste...

“Well, consider me thoroughly indulged!” she giggled.

Shaking aside the odd self-flattery I’d decided to engage in, I took a sip of my familiar’s tea, feeling guilty—though I’d never admit it—for wasting the cup she’d made earlier. I was greatly rewarded by a cup that was undoubtedly exquisite, though I tried my best not to let that reaction show, lest Koakuma become too over-eager in the future.

“I hope the tea meets your standards, Mistress Patchouli~!”

_It most certainly does, Koakuma._

While I had no doubts that Sakuya was more experienced when it came to things like this (and I’d certainly have to try a cup of tea from her sometime soon), it was clear that Koakuma was undeniably telling the truth when she said that she’d been practicing. It was a delicate blend, with the perfect level of sweetness to wash away the fatigue still lingering in the corners of my mind. I idly wondered if I should have taken her up on her offer of sweets, certain that she would live up to her promise of finding something to suit my tastes, but quickly decided against it. For the time being, I simply wanted to relax with my familiar.

I nodded and smiled faintly.

“It’s lovely.”

_That should be praise enough for her, while not triggering her obsessive nature, I hope._

Thankfully, I’d measured correctly, and the smile that rose to my familiar’s face was only marginally tinted by unrelenting desire.

“Thank you, Mistress Patchouli! I was so worried about you, but it looks like you’ve made a full recovery already! That’s my Mistress: always incredible!”

I wondered, very briefly, if she may have had any ulterior motives in her care towards me. The ever-present hint of mischief behind even her sweetest expressions had me convinced she was searching for some loophole in our contract that she could use to tease me. She’d done so before, and while I didn’t necessarily dislike it, now was hardly-

_Hmm?_

Wait...had she done that kinda thing in the past? And how would I know about it, even if she had? It’s not like I’ve had one of these dreams before. Believe me, I’da never shut up about it to Sacchan if I had!

 _Hmm...it’s probably nothing…_ I thought, sipping at the yummy tea.

It’s probably not the worst idea to be on my guard a bit, though. I’ve read tons of doujinshi about the two of us, more than enough to know that she really is an impish troublemaker deep down. Kinda hard to lose sight of that when she’s bein’ all sweet on you, though! Makes me get why Patchy ends up in those situation in the first place. Buuut, she’s a good girl at the end of the day, and an undeniably faithful familiar, so I’m sure any of her teasing’ll end up being mostly cute. I mean, it’s not like she’s gonna do anything dangerous!

...At least, not _too_ dangerous. Touhou does kinda cover a lot…

I suppose I _am_ her Mistress, though, so my command should be all I need to stop her in the event that she does act too unseemly.

“When we’re finished, would you like me to fetch that grimoire you’d been studying, Mistress Patchouli?”

“Not today, no,” I said, with some effort. I wanted that _almost_ more than anything else, but my mind was fixated on something else…

“It’s for the best to let my body recover further before I engage in anything serious.”

“Got it! More naps, then? Laying comfy, snug in bed, trapped tight and defenseless under the warm covers...”

“No...fresh air would likely be best for me. I’d like to visit some of the mansion’s other residents.”

Koakuma froze, and her saucer slipped to the ground, the sound of shattered porcelain filling the palpable silence of the library,

“Is something the matter, Koakuma?”

“M-Mistress Patchouli, going outside? Just to greet people?!”

I scowled and returned to my tea without a word.

“W-Wait, you were serious?! It wasn’t just a joke, Mistress?!”

“Clean up the mess, Koakuma.”

“Mistreeeess!” she cried, though she didn’t hesitate to set out on the task I’d given her.

“Yes! I’m serious!” I graciously restated as she swept the shards of the saucer into the dustpan.

_This is way too cool of a dream to pass up the chance to see the other people in the mansion! Sacchan would kill me—nah, scratch that—I’d kill me if I let this chance pass me by!_

_Besides, many of them are my dear friends, so a brief visit should be perfectly acceptable._

Gah...I was totally bugged by how thrown off Koakuma was by the request. She practically did a spit take, even! Just because I said I wanted to go outside…

I might not look the part now, but I’m a remarkably fast sprinter, you know? There’s no way leaving my room should be that big of a deal!

Though...the idea of even _jogging_ right now sounds kinda...exhausting…

Still, it was sound to assume that fresh air could help, as it so often does with the ailing and infirmed. And my familiar should know me well enough to know I would take a relaxed pace to facilitate a full recovery.

“Ehehe~ It’s pretty surprising, but I guess it’s a sign you’re in a really great mood, huh Mistress Patchouli?” Koakuma giggled.

“Mmm. I’m feeling refreshed, I suppose.”

“Well, it’s the first time you’ve slept in months! I bet that’s done you a world of good!”

_Months?_

That can’t be right...that’s, like, totally impossible!

Hmm...no, on second thought, it’s entirely normal, is it not? Witches such as myself have no need of sleep or food. It’s simply a leisure activity, done when desired. Few at the mansion bother with it at all. In fact, the only witch I knew who made a point of sleeping was Alice. I believe she’d mentioned doing it regularly as some leftover habit from her time as a human...

That’s right, though! I mean, the only reason I sleep and eat every day is so I can get coach off my back, since she chews me out over everything…

Ugh, one little thought of the real world and I’m gettin’ all down! This place is so much better than that! I’m just gonna toss those worries behind me for now! Just gonna sit back, get cozy, and enjoy the rest of teatime with Koacutie!

She can be quite an annoyance, more of a bothersome pet than anything else, but I must admit I feel quite at peace during moments such as this. 

“I suppose it has. This moment of respite has helped me clear my mind somewhat. If you must have me justify my decision to visit everyone, it would merely be to extend my rest, so that I may return to my studies with renewed focus.”

“Oh ho~! I should’ve known better than to think you didn’t have some kind of plan, Mistress Patchouli!”

Mukyu?! All she did was wink at me and my heart got all fluttery! Jeez, she’s _so_ cuuuuute!

“You’ll be accompanying me, I assume?”

“Oh? If you’ll have me, I’d love to!”

I smiled softly and nodded. Though I was certain I would have no trouble finding my way around the mansion, I wanted her by my side. She was important to me, after all.

“Yay~! I’m not certain where everyone is, but I believe Sakuya mentioned something about repairs being done on the clock tower? If you’re looking for her, that might be a good place to start!”

“Mm. Then let’s make that our first destination, shall we?”

_Scarlet Devil Mansion, here I come!_

Putting aside that I’d seen much of the mansion more than enough over the years, I left the library with my familiar in tow, carried by a sense of newness that accompanied my every step.

I just knew this’d be so much fun!


	3. Arrival Arc: An Exhausting Expedition

“Is something the matter, Mistress?”

_ Stairs… _

_ It’s just some steps, I could jog up ‘em pretty easy, but… _

My chest tightened at the mere thought of ascending the clock tower on foot. It should have been no trouble. I could use magic to move with no difficulty, after all, but I felt strangely uncertain about the idea. Unbecoming as it was to admit, I was facing a lack of confidence in my own ability to cast spells in light of the issues I’d been dealing with since my unexpected morning run in the library.

“Take my hand, Koakuma. I don’t feel ill as of yet, but I may need support as we walk.”

“Of course~! And if things get too bad, I’ll fly you straight up, OK?”

_ Oh wow, that’d be so cool... _

“Mm,” I nodded. I answered as quietly as I could, but I was covering up a  _ ton _ of giddiness that had to have slipped out. Without saying another word, I started climbing the stairs with Koakuma. Sure, the tower was tall—way taller than it looked from the outside, but then again, the whole mansion was bigger on the inside—but it was just a few steps! Asthma or no, I was tough enough to deal with this much.

Gotta say though, having Koakuma hold my hand was enough to get my heart racing from the word go! Ahaha, back home, the only kind of physical affection I’d get was from overly-touchy fans…

This was Koakuma, however, and my bond with her is nigh-on incomparable to that of others. She is my familiar and I am her Mistress; intimacy between the two of us wasn’t an infrequent occurrence. Perhaps the reason my heart raced was because, beyond any degree of intimacy, this was a pure and sincere gesture of kindness and support.

Yeah, that’s it! Koakuma’s just so cute and sweet that it was getting me all worked up!

“The clock isn’t ticking, huh, Mistress?”

“Indeed. I haven’t visited the tower in quite some time, but it’s rather odd to hear it so silent.”

“Well then I’ll just have to fill it with my voice, won’t I?”

“Conversation...might…”

_ You’re kidding?! _

I was really running out of breath already?! C’mon, we’d barely been walking a minute! It was certainly no fault of my own that I suffered from such poor health, though it still frustrated me to no end to struggle so quickly. Maybe I’ve gotta practice or something, train slowly so that this stuff gets a little better. Or simply use magic to circumvent the issue. That had helped in the past...

“Mistress!”

“I’m fine, Koakuma,” I reassured her, tightening my grip on her hand. I did so hate seeing her worry. “But I think it may be best to take you up on your earlier offer.”

“Go~t it!” Koakuma smiled and held me tightly, before lifting me into the air. It was truly foolish to even try to travel on foot. This was far more convenient...

_ She smells so good… _

“Oh? It seems our mansion’s resident bookworm has come to pay us a visit. Perhaps today will be far more exciting than I’d anticipated. A pleasure to see you, Patchy.”

_ Oh wow, it’s really her! _

Perhaps it was because we hadn’t conversed in several days, but as we came to rest at the landing near the top of the tower, I was remarkably excited to be greeted by the amused, almost demeaning smile of Remilia Scarlet.

Sure, Koakuma and I were a little off the mark from what I’d hoped for, but Remi here was exactly the way I expected! A cute, haughty little aristocrat, through and through! Well, until you pushed her a little and got a look at her childish side! Now  _ that _ was an exciting thought! I was gonna have so much to tell Sacchan!

“Hi there, Miss Remilia! I’m escorting Mistress Patchouli around the mansion today!”

Remi nodded, though she was obviously a little confused. That’s fair; I guess this was a pretty weird thing for someone with a tendency to stay shut in to do.

“It’s good to see you as well, Remi. I trust we’re not unwelcome?”

“Not in the least. Today has felt like an eternity, frankly. Sakuya and I welcome your company.”

“Tea, Miss Patchouli?”

_ Bwuh?! Where’d you even come from? _

I was still somewhat worn, so Sakuya Izayoi’s sudden arrival with a tray of tea and all the expected accoutrements surprised me more than I cared to admit. Given her unique ability to manipulate time and space, she had a penchant for appearing seemingly out of thin air. In fact, the mansion’s remarkable size on the inside was entirely thanks to her power, so this wasn’t unusual in the least. 

“No thank you, Sakuya. I’ve had my fill of tea for one day. Koakuma, however, spilled her cup earlier in the day, so she would likely have more want of it than me.”

“Of course. Please let me know if you need anything from me.”

While she treated me with a great deal of respect, I appreciated that she put no emotional distance between us, responding to my refusal with a warm smile. The two of us had been friendly for some time, and our positions played no part in that.

“Haah~ Mistress Patchouli’s being so kind, Sakuya!”

“It looks that way,” Sakuya smiled, taking my recommendation and offering a cup to Koakuma instead, the two of them falling into a comfortable rhythm quickly. Considering their similar status in the mansion, there was a definite sense of camaraderie between them.

It was really cute to see! Pretty much none of the doujinshi I’d read had those two hanging out! Honestly, I was mostly relieved to see that Sakuya was being so warm. A lot of incarnations have her acting pretty stiff and cold, so I was glad that didn’t look to be the case here.

“I’m always gracious, thank you.”

“For me as well, Sakuya,” Remi ordered. “And perhaps you are, but you’re practically never to be found here, of all places. What, may I ask, is the occasion for today’s adventure?”

“An asthma attack earlier in the day gave me no small amount of trouble, and I simply thought I should best treat it with some rest and fresh air.”

“By leaving the library?”

_ Yeah, I get it’s not the best excuse! _

“The risk of me growing tempted to study is lessened when I’m not surrounded by books, and the air down there can get quite stuffy, even for me. And what of you and Sakuya? I’d heard there were repairs being done.”

_ Nailed that one, though! _

“Sakuya, care to explain?” Remi asked, taking her tea and sipping on it with a greedy vigor that betrayed her aristocratic air.

“Of course. The fairy maids were, as they tell it, cleaning in here last night when they felt a strange influx of mana in the air which they claim damaged the bell and much of the clockwork. Nobody else seems to have noticed anything like that, so it’s more than likely just a story to hide that they were playing around, but it shouldn’t be too hard to fix either way.”

“And you, Remi?”

“I’m bored, that’s all. Flandre has been sulking all morning, so I thought I’d have more fun if I spent time with Sakuya. I might need to throw some kind of party for Flan’s sake soon, though.”

“Ooh, a party, Mistress Patchouli! Wanna attend?”

“Mm, that sounds rather enjoyable. Please let me know when you have a date in mind.”

“Wha?!”

“Really?!”

_ Koakuma held onto her cup this time, at least… _

“I’ve attended several of your events in the past, Remi. Your surprise hardly seems warranted.”

Huh, Sakuya’s a real professional. She didn’t even bat an eyelid...

“Right, but you normally take more coercion than  _ that! _ Are you sure you’re not still sick?!”

“I’m perfectly fine!”

“Then that’s even more worrying!”

“Mistress Patchouli’s just in a particularly good mood, Miss Remi! Nothing to be alarmed by at all~!”

“Koakuma, you were way more alarmed than me!”

_ Oh, Remi’s getting kinda pouty! _

“There there, Mistress. Miss Patchouli is just being nice. There’s no reason to regard her with suspicion.”

If she and Remi weren’t so close, Sakuya’s graceful reaction would have sincerely tempted me to take her as a familiar over Koakuma.

No, I could never replace Koakuma. Even her teasing was, though I would never admit it, precious to me.

“Fine, fine,” Remi sighed. “Maybe the emptiness of the day is just getting to me. Sakuya, finish the repairs quickly so we can find something else to do.”

“Certainly. Have a lovely day, both of you,” Sakuya smiled, before quickly returning to her work.

“Mmm, I appreciate the visit. Let’s spend more time together soon, Patchy.”

Bidding the two of them goodbye, Koakuma took my hand and escorted me down to the ground floor.

And yet, for as frustrated as I’d been with her a moment earlier, Koakuma’s touch yet again sent a surprisingly pleasant shiver down my spine.

~~~

“Hot…”

“Mmm, it’s a nice day out, isn’t it Mistress? Want me to get you something a little more summery to wear? Ooh, I’ve got a sundress that’ll look-”

“Absolutely not.”

Not that it didn’t sound cute. Hell, the opposite was true. Problem was, wearing something like that and seeing how it’d make me look in this body would get me so fired up that I don’t think I’d be able to hold in what little restraint I still had left. 

Ugh, this body really didn’t agree with the sun, though. It was getting more tempting to go back to the library and curl up with a book by the second. But nah, I wanted to meet someone else first!

As we got close to the gate, though, it was pretty clear that she wasn’t gonna be ready to meet me. Still, I couldn’t help but get excited seeing that, because it meant another part of this wonderful dream was exactly how I liked it!

“Aren’t you meant to be working?”

“Bwahhh! Nope, I’m not slacking! It’s a trick to get any intruders’ guard down! See, Sakuya?!” the red-haired girl lounging on the lawn outside of the mansion protested, springing to her feet the instant I’d started talking.

“Do I look like Sakuya to you?”

“Patchouli?! You’re outside!”

“So I am…”

“Wow~! Mistress Patchouli’s surprising everyone today! You’ll be the talk of Gensokyo if you keep this up, Mistress!”

“Especially if you’re leaving the mansion! Is something big happening?!”

I furrowed my brow. These reactions were quickly growing tiresome, though I had to admit that the sun bearing down on me played no small part in thinning my patience.

Thankfully, Koakuma readily leapt to my aid, and explained the situation to Hong Meiling, the mansion’s particularly lackadaisical gatekeeper.

“Whoa, you really just wanted to say hi?!”

“The point about feeling the need for fresh air is likely more important in-”

“You’re so sweet!” Meiling cut me off. “Just coming to spend time with a friend! And you really picked a great day for it! Sun’s out, there’s a lovely breeze...no better day to lie back and read some manga!”

“Have I ever cared for reading things as senseless as manga?”

Okay, if we’re being honest? I totally did. My apartment was kind of a mess of manga and doujinshi. But saying that would’ve seemed sketchy as hell to these two.

“No time like the present to start, don’t you think?”

“I do not.”

“Okay, then lie back and read a grimoire, or a textbook, or anything, really! There’s no limits to how comfy you can get on a day like this! Ooh, and speaking of manga, can I come get some more from the library later today, Koakuma?”

“If Mistress Patchouli has no objections, sure!”

I sighed and offered a slight nod. There was a relaxed rhythm to Meiling that certainly didn’t mesh with my own, but where it would usually frustrate me, today it helped put me surprisingly at ease.

It took my mind off of the heat, at the very least.

And besides, it wasn’t like I had any plans for whatever she might have found interesting in the library.

“Thanks, Patchy!”

“That nickname is reserved for Remi-”

“Awww, but it’s so cute! Sweet little Patchy! Wanna take it easy with me for a while, huh? Have a siesta in the shade until my shift’s over?”

I take it back: she was frustrating me deeply.

“You should work until your shift’s over!”

“Siestas are a kind of work! They build morale so I can be prepared and energetic enough to handle any intruders!”

“I thought you were trying to catch intruders off-guard by pretending to sleep?”

“That too! It’s a two-pronged tactic!” Meiling declared, puffing up her chest with pride.

“It’s clearly ineffective. Marisa came in and stole from the library just last week.”

“Th-That so? Well, this is a new tactic, so I’m getting used to it too... I’ll just remain hyper vigilant from now on! Watch, next time she breaks in, I’ll swoop in and save the day, no problem!”

“Stop her _ before _ she breaks in, you oaf!”

Not only was I frustrated, I was dizzy, too. I didn’t think she was being terribly difficult to deal with, but I could scarcely see straight.

Woof...felt kinda woozy, actually.

“Hey. You OK there, Patchy? You’re kinda wobbly…”

“Mistress?”

“I...I’m fine, just…”

I felt so lightheaded, so weak and tired. Was the sun really doing this to me? It wasn’t even that hot! I’d run and trained on way hotter days than this, but now…

My outfit’s too warm, isn’t it? Perhaps Koakuma was onto something with the sundress…

“Whoa?! Patchy! I was kidding about the siesta stuff, y’know! Y-You sure you don’t wanna sleep in the shade, instead?”

_ When...did I…? _

At some point, I had fallen. I could feel the grass beneath me, but little else beyond that. As my vision faded, the grass was soon all I could focus on.

“Mistress Patchouli!”

Then the grass was gone, and I was being cradled by something soft and gentle.

It was so, so difficult, but I could just barely open my eyes enough to see my familiar wearing a serious, determined expression as she looked down at me.

“Ko...aku…”

“You’ll be fine, Mistress! Don’t worry! You don’t have to say anything either, OK? Meiling and I will carry you straight to bed! I’ll stay right by your side while you rest, too!”

I think I nodded, but truth be told, my thoughts had all but scattered, save for one:

“You’re just like her…”


	4. Arrival Arc: The Shut-In and the Sprinter Meet

“Hina.”

“Nnn?”

_ Did I...wake up? _

“You didn’t. We’re both asleep.”

_ Oh, that’s cool! I wanna spend more time with Koakuma and everyone! _

I’d’ve been really sad if a dream like that ended on such a down note, too!

But...can you go from a dream, to a dream, then back to that first dream? That’s...that’s kinda tricky. I’m not even sure Patchy could answer that one...

“...Hina…”

_ Yeah? _

“Open your eyes. Actually conversing with me will make this easier for the both of us.”

_ They’re...closed? _

“They are.”

I felt like an idiot, but just like how I’d been with Koakuma earlier in the day, there was something about the idea of opening my eyes that kinda freaked me out. Like I was worried I’d see something dangerous or...actually wake up again. Weird as it was to say, I  _ really  _ wasn’t ready to leave the dream at all.

“Please, trust me.”

But whoever was here with me obviously wanted it, and I wasn’t sure keeping them closed would do a thing for me now.

“I promise, you won’t leave Gensokyo behind.”

So, I took a deep breath and opened my eyes, coming face to face with…

Me?!

“Perhaps this isn’t the right way to put this, but good morning, Hina.”

No no no, not me. Patchouli. There was Patchy, sitting by the kotatsu in my apartment and flipping through a small stack of doujinshi.

“Patchy! It’s Patchy!”

“We’d told Meiling that only Remi could use that nickname, no?”

“Ahaha, my bad! But you’re really here!”

This was crazy! I didn’t get why we were in my place, but I was with my Patchy! Wow, was I wrong! This second dream  _ rules _ !

“Of course I would be. It’s my home.”

“Oh, I get it! This is one of those reverse isekai things, huh? Well don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you!”

“Hina...how do you view the Scarlet Devil Mansion? The library, specifically.”

“I live there! It’s been my home for over 100 years now! Well, it’s Remi’s place, specifically, but- 

Wait, what?! Why’d I say all that…?”

_ I mean, why wouldn’t I? It’s true, so… _

“Our thoughts have merged, and as a result, we’ve inherited each other’s memories and feelings. That’s simplifying the explanation somewhat, but it should suffice for the time being. This apartment is a place of comfort for us both, so it seems that we decided it would be a fitting location for the discussion we need to have.”

“But, I mean-”

“Do you need further proof? I can speak of your life in Chiba, your budding career as a sprinter, your penchant for doujinshi involving me and Koakuma, or even your feelings for Sao-”

“I get it! I get it! If our thoughts have merged and all that, you know I didn’t need to be teased like that, right?”

“I also knew there’d be nothing else quite as effective at getting you to reach an understanding. At least within this space, we seem detached enough that I felt it worthwhile. And besides, they’re my feelings too, so…”

Cuuuute! Patchy was actually blushing! Haaah, seeing that blew away all my stress! Or maybe it was the doujinshi finally getting to her? She did seem to be flipping through it without a care in the world, though...

“OK, it’s fine, I get what you’re saying. But it kinda feels like we skipped a few steps, didn’t we? We barely even said ‘hi,’ or worked out  _ why _ we’re sharing thoughts, or any of that!”

“I wished you a good morning, didn’t I?”

_ Guh, I know I’m fun to tease, but quit it! _

I kinda had to set aside dealing with why I now thought that about myself. But I was with my adorable Patchy, so stuff like that really didn’t bug me. Did make me kinda worried I was being narcissistic, but hey.

“Still, it’s clear that we’re intimately familiar with one another. Considering you weren’t acquainted with even basic forms of magic until recently, however, I suppose I am in a better position to properly unpack our situation.”

“Ufufu~! I might not look it, but I’ve studied countless grimo-”

I realized what I was about to say, thought about the whole thought merging thing again in a new light, and let Patchy explain it all properly.

“Uhhh, you were saying?”

“Have some coffee, Hina. It helps me focus when I’m working.”

“Yeah, that sounds good…”

A pair of coffee cups just appeared on the table, materializing out of thin air. Witches were  _ so  _ cool.

“This isn’t magic, it’s just part of our subconscious. You could do the same thing if you wanted.”

“Witches are still cool!” I grinned. With the way Patchy puffed out her chest while she drank, I got the feeling she liked the compliment.

Honestly, I used to be pretty bad with coffee. I hated the taste and how jittery it always made me feel. But gosh, this tasted great! Witchy coffee’s the best!

“A few days ago, I slept to relieve some frustration and clear my thoughts after a bout of anemia affected me in the midst of reciting the incantation for a particularly complex spell. The spell itself isn’t terribly important, but at some point while I slept, you entered not just my reality, but my body and soul itself, merging our very beings together.”

“Bwuh? How the heck did I do that?!”

“You were speaking with Saori, and your arousal over...myself may have mingled with your latent magical talent and cast a spell that I confess to having no familiarity with.”

“Ahahaha! You’re kidding, right? I got so fired up that I became a witch?!”

Patchy—cute as ever—took a huge sip of her coffee to hide her cheeks turning red.

“It’s a crude explanation, I understand, but it befits a situation as...absurd as this one. And again, this is only one potential explanation. I simply don’t feel confident in any others I could offer at the moment, though that could change in the future. Whatever the case, we’re now one and the same, in a sense. As a result, we appear to share much of everything that makes us ourselves.”

“So none of this has been a dream? Waking up in the library, being with Koacutie-”

“Please don’t use that nickname in her presence. You know exactly how dangerously excited it would make her. I’d also ask that you not use it in my presence, but our situation makes that a bit unreasonable of a request,” Patchouli sighed. “But no, none of it is a dream. It’s a reality entirely apart from the one you once inhabited, but it is very much a reality all the same.”

“But where’s that leave you?”

“I explained that, didn’t I?”

“Did you? I mean, you say we merged, but when I was awake, that was me in charge! I couldn’t feel you at all! So it’s not merging, I just took over your life!”

I was too frustrated to say the next part at all, even though I knew Patchy’d hear it all the same. I scratched at my hair through my cap, fighting against the knot in my stomach while I pushed the thoughts out.

_ Shit, that’s not fair at all, Patchy! That means you’re just watching your own life play out! Can’t you get rid of me or something? _

Guh, that felt crappy.

_ Now why would I even consider doing that? _

“Wha?”

Those were Patchy’s thoughts, right? But I heard them like they were my own, through and through. They felt like mine, too, so…

“You’re completely off the mark, Hina. You realize that, don’t you?”

“I don’t! I don’t get it at all!”

“Tell me: would you, the way you’d been before you cast that spell, have even considered giving someone claiming to be your familiar—and who you just met, I should add— orders quite as readily as you did? For that matter, would you have been quite so tempted to sit and read a book all day, or have remained so calm even when meeting those you’ve held in such high regard your whole life?”

_ Eh? _

I stared down at my cup, thinking about everything she’d just told me. I mean, yeah, the more I thought about it, the less weird that all seemed to me. But back before waking up in the library… Shit, no, I probably wouldn’t have acted even a little bit like that.

“From my perspective, it seemed as if I was firmly in control. Even if some actions I took didn’t line up with my usual behaviors, they were still undeniably my own. Though we may not have been aware of each other’s existences to the extent we are right now, we were still acting in tandem, as one being.”

“So no, I wouldn’t consider ridding myself of you, because you are me and I am you. You likely haven’t even noticed that we took on each other’s appearances quite a while ago, have you?”

“C’mon, there’s no-”

Nope, I couldn’t protest. I looked up from my drink and saw my tall, tanned body wearing Patchy’s muted expressions, then looked back down to see my arm covered in a silky purple nightdress.

“...Witches really are amazing…”

“Again, this isn’t magical in the least. Regardless, if you want any proof of how comfortable we’ve become with our current situation, this should hopefully serve that purpose for you. I saw how distressed you were growing, and saw no more efficient a method to quell those worries than this.”

Maybe it was because we were sharing thoughts or whatever, but...yeah, it did the job. I felt like I got what was going on, anyway. I still had a couple of concerns, even if I was pretty sure any answers I was gonna find were in my head somewhere, but we’d covered a ton of ground already.

“OK, OK.”

I took a deep breath, then smiled at Patchy.

“Sorry for freaking out. I just care about you a lot, y’know? I don’t wanna hurt you, or Koakuma, or anyone really. So if I was gonna be a problem…”

“There’s nothing to worry about. I’m sure you see that now. You’re a sweet girl, Hina. Loud and perverted, certainly, but very sweet.”

“Yeah yeah… Then I guess I’m your type, huh? I know  _ just  _ how excited you got about Koakuma earlier! Remember how nice she smelled when she was carrying us up the clock tower? And you’re the one who’s been reading a bunch of the doujinshi in here, so you’re a perv too! How’d you like ‘em? F-sensei’s work’s amazing, right?!”

I saw her shuffle a little, rubbing her legs together slightly, and flashed her a wide, happy grin.

“W-well, it was interesting…I-I suppose… Though not without some liberties...”

Oh wow, the way her voice rose to a little squeak at the end was adorable!

“Ahaha, those are totally the best parts, though!”

“I-I fail to see how…”

“Yeah? We’re sharing all our thoughts and you don’t get how amazing it’d be to feel all cushy and soft beneath these PJs?”

“My body is how it is, thank you.”

“Right right, and it’s super cute! You and Koakuma are both adorable! But gosh, it’d be nice if she was a bombshell like that, huh? Or if we got sooo soft that she could barely keep her hands off of us, don’tcha think?”

_ I can see the way you’re fidgeting, Patchy! _

Cutie stiffened up as soon as I thought that, turning her head away from me and sipping at her coffee while she tried to hide the blush on her cheeks. Man, even my body could look pretty adorable when it got this worked up.

“I think you fail to see just how affectionate Koakuma already is with us.”

“No no, I get it! She’s already a sweetie, but what if we just gave her—and us—a little more to appreciate, huh?”

I picked myself up and plopped myself right back down next to her, leaning in against my bigger, firmer body, letting her really come to grips with how small and cute her body was in comparison.

Amazingly, she gently wrapped me up in a warm hug, and I could hear her shyly swallowing. Man, switching bodies was really paying off!

“Now...imagine if this body was ultra plushy and soft. We’re a super talented witch, right? I know we could make it happen if we wanted,” I grinned, I just knew she had to be getting it now.

I blinked, and suddenly I was the one holding her, feeling the lingering heat in my cheeks slowly fade away. Looking down into her eyes, I watched as the grin I’d given her quickly faded to something much more stoic, though it was still super obvious she was fighting off some embarrassment.

“...It’s not entirely outside the realm of possibility, I suppose…”

“Yeah?!”

“As deeply unfortunate as it may be, it would appear some of your perversion lingers in my mind. So...perhaps the idea isn’t without  _ some  _ degree of merit.”

“You’re gonna go for it?!”

“ _ If  _ I do…” she started, sighing heavily, “consider it a great favor. You’ve been taken so far away from the world you know, so it just seems like a good opportunity to make things happier for you.

...And Koakuma might enjoy it, as well...”

“Yeah! You’re the best, Patchy!” I grinned, hugging her nice and tight. I wouldn’t ever force her if she didn’t want it, so seeing her get so into the idea was amazing. Haaah, thank you for showing her the light, F-sensei!

“It will take no small amount of research, but I’m sure you’re willing to accept that, aren’t you?”

“Mhmm! I have a rough idea of where we can start. Redirecting the flow of mana in our body should help us reshape it however we want, but there’s a whole bunch of grimoires on similar subjects that are definitely gonna be worth looking into. If we’re doing this, we’re doing it right!”

Patchy chuckled under her breath.

“I inherited your perversion, and you inherited my intellect…”

“Ehehe, it’s fun though, right? Sacchan’s ultra smart and she’s a total perv, but that’s what makes her so special to me! Gosh, she’d be so excited by all of this!”

_ Just kinda sucks I won’t get to share it with her… _

Gah! No, I couldn’t get down about this. I was gonna enjoy every second of it!

“A whole huge library all to ourselves, and we’re living with all kinds of amazing people! We’re gonna have such a great time, Patchy!”

“I’ve lived that way for over a century now, you realize that?”

“And I came along and made it feel really new, right?”

“...In a sense.”

She sighed, then smiled gently at me. Jeez, her smile was ultra cute!

“Hina.”

“Yeah?”

“I know you’re worried about Saori.”

_ Guh. _

“Nah, no way! I’m sure she’s-”

“I feel the same way, Hina. There’s no use in bottling those thoughts.”

I sighed and scratched my cheek.

_ Yeah, we can’t hide anything from each other, huh? _

Patchy just shook her head.

“...Yeah, I kinda am. I dunno if my body just vanished when I cast that spell or what but...I guess it’s really hitting me that I can’t see her anymore, ahaha… It’s fine, honest. I just wish I knew she was doing well, ya know?”

The room got all silent for a sec, without so much as a peep from the outside world. If the outside world even existed in a place like this, that is.

And then Patchy hugged me back.

“Patchy!”

“You’ve been hugging me this whole time. It only felt fair to return the gesture.”

I froze for a sec. I knew Patchy was a sweetie, and that she’d been the one hugging in the first place even if she was in my body at the time, but...I dunno, this felt nice.

“Perhaps I’ve also been infected with your optimism, but I’m certain Saori is well, just as I’m confident that we’ll always treasure the time we spent with her. Not that this makes it any easier to cope with, but Saori treasures you just as deeply. I’m absolutely certain of that.”

“Yeah, you’re…you’re right. Sacchan’s the best, so she’s gotta be doing great! And y’know, with all the books in the library, I’m sure we’ll find a way to contact her one day! Can you imagine how excited she’d get? Having  _ the _ Patchouli Knowledge show up and treat her like an old friend? Ahaha, I can see her smile now!”

I guess I started hugging Patchy a little tighter at some point.

“I love Sacchan, y’know that? Never told her—shit, I barely even told myself—but I promised myself that one day, I was gonna make my feelings clear. Guess I waited around too long, huh?”

And Patchy’s hug grew tighter too.

“Absolutely not.”

“But-”

“You just told me that you would contact her one day. Don’t give up so quickly.”

She was speaking firmly, like she was scolding a child. I wanted to say something back, but I started feeling kinda groggy and weird. Weren’t we in a dream? Why would I get sleepy here?!

“It seems we’re waking up, Hina,” Patchy said with a yawn. I guess she was feeling it too.

“We’ll...get to meet Sacchan again, right Patchy?”

My eyes were getting all fluttery. I hugged Patchy a little tighter, but that just made me even sleepier.

“We will, I’m sure of it,” she nodded, snuggling up against me like I was a pillow. “I’m not quite sure we'll be able to speak quite like this when we’re awake, but we’ll be together, Hina. Everything will go...wonder-...-fully…”

“Ehehe, you’re so...so cute, Patchy. Guess that means I’m cute too, though…”

I started to slump over, the apartment around us fading to white as we held each other gently. 

“I’m gonna tell Sacchan...I promise…”

As the world around me vanished, all I could feel was the warmth from Patchouli’s hug. Even with how groggy we both were, though, her grip seemed to be getting tighter and tighter, her hands caressing my body lovingly, slowly moving up my thighs and coming to rest on my butt, digging and kneading at my cheeks like they were-

“Mukyu?!”

“Oh-ho? You’re finally awake, Mistress Patchouli~? I’m so glad! Don’t worry, your faithful familiar stayed by your side this whole time!”

I awoke to the sight of Koakuma smiling at me, her hands, having worked their way up my skirt, playing with my bottom as if it was her property.

“Nnn~ I can tell that perfectly well, thank you…”

“Oh? Mistress made such  _ naughty _ sounds~ Who knew you had a hidden perverted side, hmm? Juuuust me! I did!”

With that giddy declaration, Koakuma quickly worked her hands into my panties and squeezed even harder.

“Ah~!”

Yup. She was a devil, I knew this was coming. For as sweet as she could be, she was  _ really _ into the idea of making her Mistress happy in every possible way. And...I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t doing a crazy good job.

_ You’re way too cute, Koakuma! _

I’d have readily followed her lead, too, had I not retained some semblance of my composure.

“Who gave you permission to do—Nnn~!—anything of this sort?”

“We both know the answer to that, don’t we Mistress? Our contract lets me see  _ exactly _ what your heart really wants so that I can best serve you, and before you awoke, that adorable butt of yours was just begging to be squeezed~!”

As frustrating as it was to admit, she was correct. Koakuma and I had been intimate on many occasions, and she always seemed to know exactly what I wanted and how best to act upon those wants. She was, undoubtedly, a familiar fit for a witch of my talents.

Much as she insisted this was all what I wanted, though, I could tell she was even thirstier than me right now. With how dangerously close her fingers were getting to going right up in me, I bet she was looking to go wild, looking for just the slightest hint of affirmation.

I suppose I could...nah, I couldn’t go for that right now, not after the dream. I needed a tiny bit of breathing room, at least.

“But don’t worry, I won’t push you too hard! Just a bit of snuggling is enough to sustain the both of us, isn’t it!” Koakuma giggled, easing up a little, but not taking her hands off my body for even a second.

That was fine...her touch was so, so friggin nice.

“Thank you, Koakuma. I trust you’ll lay with me for a while?”

“Mhmm, as loooong as you like! We can spend all day cuddled up like this if it’s what you desire! And if you ever get really excited, I’ll take things as far as you want them to go!”

I’m not quite sure what overcame me in those moments, but I suddenly felt the great urge to reward Koakuma for her efforts. While she continued to caress me, I slowly raised a hand to her head and began petting her gently.

“Ehehe! Oh wow, Mistress! You’re so sweet this morning! I must’ve really made your heart feel all kinds of fulfilled, huh? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because of the dream you were having, hmm? Did you know, Mistress? While I watched over you, you said all sorts of ve~ry interesting things!”

_ Oh shit! I was talking in my sleep?! Did she find out about me?! _

“Don’t play coy, Koakuma. Tell me what you heard.”

“‘Sacchan… We’ll see each other soon, Sacchan… I’ll tell her everything one day...’ Now, you know I’m eternally faithful to you, Mistress, so I certainly don’t mind you having another lover if they bring you happiness, but I must say, this isn’t how I expected to find out at all! How do I measure up to this ‘Sacchan,’ hmm?”

She heard about Sacchan…

Gah, how was I gonna explain this?!

“That is a personal affair of mine, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t-”

“Why don’t you bring her to visit the library sometime? I bet we could all have so much fun together! The bed’s got more than enough room, you know! And even if it didn’t, I’d make a bigger bed for you, Mistress! Besides, I want e~veryone to see just how magnificent you are.”

_ I gave her an order, why is she ignoring it?! _

Guh, I know the answer to that one. I don’t actually want her to stop…

I greatly desired to be able to talk about Saori. I couldn’t stand the thought of hiding anything from my dear familiar.

“Sacchan is...she’s someone who…”

And yet, I couldn’t quite find the words. Even though we had discussed it during the dream, I felt an intense embarrassment well up within me at the mere idea of admitting my feelings to someone else.

“Yes?”

But I promised I’d work to find her, so I can’t just give up now!

“Sacchan is...someone who I...l-”

And suddenly, Koakuma’s hands came out from under my dress, and she began hugging me gently. I couldn’t feel anything beyond my familiar’s sincerity, so if she’d planned on teasing me, she had abandoned the idea remarkably quickly.

It’s kinda weird to say, but...honestly, it felt familiar to me. Nice and comfy.

“There there, Mistress. You must have been so scared…”

_ What happened to you, Koakuma? Why’d you get so sweet again? _

“Ehehe… To tell you the truth, I know exactly how you feel. I struggled with those very same feelings once myself. Not knowing if you’d get to see someone special to you ever again, wishing you hadn’t left things unsaid...”

“Koakuma, where is all of this coming from?”

She looked right into my eyes, and smiled warmly at me.

“You know what I’m talking about, don’t you, Mistress Hina?”

“Sacchan?!”

Look, I’d been trying real hard to not let out any of my...uhhh...Hina-ness in front of anyone here. I knew just how weird it’d make me seem. But in that instant I couldn’t keep it bottled up anymore.

After all, I was with Sacchan!

I hugged my familiar back as tight as I could, not wanting to let her go for even a second.

“Mhmm. It’s been quite some time, hasn’t it? Ehehe, your hugs have gotten so much gentler, but I suppose that comes with becoming smaller, no?”

“Sacchaaaan!”

“Ehehe, Mistress Patchouli’s become a crybaby!”

“I’m not crying! Not in the least!”

I was. I was tearing up like crazy, but I wasn’t gonna give my familiar, even if she was Sacchan, the satisfaction of lording that over me.

“Or is it my Mistress Hina who’s become so indignant? Back in Tokyo, you’d cry over the slightest thing and wear those tears as a badge of honor! Well, it’s perfectly fine! No matter what, you’re my Mistress, and I’m so happy to be with you… Ehehe, to think the two of you would end up in the same situation as us... 

Isn’t it funny, Mistress? I couldn’t think of a more mismatched pair than you! It’s a wonder you two are coping! Though I suppose you did pass out twice from exhaustion, so I guess we need to keep an extra close eye on you, huh?” she smirked, and as my face scrunched up in frustration, she only looked happier.

“We’ll be perfectly fine, thank you! Though I need to remind you that you are  _ my _ familiar. It’s your job to stay by my side each and every day. That goes for Sacchan  _ and _ Koakuma.”

“Ehehe, go~t it, Mistress! I was way off, you two aren’t mismatched at all! Deep down, you’re both total sweethearts!”

However sweet she could be, Saori was a devil now. One who delighted in teasing and taunting those around her.

But jeez, she looked so happy! I bet she’s been having an amazing time! It’s just so good to see her smile without any reservations, even if she’s being a tease!

“How long have you two been together? You only vanished a few minutes before me in our world, but judging by some of what you said, it sounds like it’s been far longer for you.”

“Very astute, Mistress! It’s been just shy of six months since I slipped into the magic circle, but it often feels like I’ve lived here with you my whoooole life. Is it like that for you, too?”

_ 6 months, Sacchan?! You’ve been here without me for half a year?! _

I nodded, trying to remain composed even as Koakuma’s hands wandered back down to my thighs.

“To an extent. How long were we asleep for?”

“Ehehe, thanks to your faithful familiar’s loving care, you were only asleep for two days! And you looked extra cute the entire time! Ufufu, were it not for Alice coming by to visit yesterday, I’d have been sorely tempted to dive right under your dress and li-”

“That’s enough, thank you!”

_ Gah, Koakumaaaa!!! _

Nope, I had to stay on point. If she said anything more, I’d probably ask her if she wanted to have sex right here and now. And I knew she wouldn’t say no.

“But yeah, it kinda feels like I’ve just lived here for years, and kinda like I just came by the other day. It’s very curious.”

Koakuma looked shocked.

“What is it?”

“Hearing you speak like a college girl is so strange, Mistress…”

I grimaced a little. It felt strange too, truthfully.

“Perhaps. This comes more naturally to me, but I was a student until recently, you realize that, of course?”

“How could I forget! There wasn’t a girl on campus who didn’t have a crush on you! But now I get Mistress all to myself!” Koakuma hugged me tightly, smiling happily to herself.

I guess I was realizing that I wasn’t really taking turns talking to Koakuma and Sacchan. Just like the two of us, they were kinda just...both of them all at once.

“And you’ve been doing well, both of you?”

“Well, we missed you so much, Mistress Hina! But otherwise we’ve been doing great! Getting to spend e~very day with Mistress Patchouli is heavenly. Saori and I are experts on all of your myriad charms, Mistress.”

It was remarkably easy to picture the both of them together, trading stories about their love for us. Otherwise, it was a deeply curious thing to listen to. I had spent every day of those six months with her, and yet I was now viewing it all in a vastly different light.

I sighed and shook my head. I knew that this situation warranted further research, and with my familiar by my side, I was certain it would go smoothly.

“Saori,” I smiled softly, “this is our home, so please don’t ever leave me again, do you understand?”

“Mistress?”

“I was tremendously sad when I realized I may not have the chance to see you again. Truthfully, I don’t believe I’ll be able to adequately express these feelings, but I love you, and-”

“Mistress!” Koakuma gasped, her face turning a red just a few shades lighter than her hair.

“-And I wish I had gathered up the strength to tell you that sooner. You deserved better than my indecision, but now that we’re together...well...gahh, just stay with me, you dummy! I love you so so so much and don’t wanna lose you again!”

Nope, couldn’t help it. I went all college girl on her again. I loved them both way too much not to.

“Ehehe, you’re such a cutie, Mistress! Burying alllll your sincerity beneath a gloomy expression until it all just comes bubbling right up! It’s adorable!”

“It is not,” I insisted, pushing aside the intense feeling that I wanted to agree with her.

“But I feel exactly the same way about you, Mistress! I have for a really long time, you know? I love you both so much that some nights, when I get really excited, I-”

“A-Another time, Koakuma!”

I wanted to hear what she was going to say more than I was willing to admit it.

“So of course I won’t leave you, silly. I never meant to in the first place, but...hmm…

I guess this really does feel like home! And if I’ve got my Mistresses with me, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be!”

_ You’re so cuuute! Gah, it’s not fair how adorable you are! _

Her devilish nature, her endlessly gentle warmth...it all blended together to form what was, I was certain, the cutest girl in this and any other world. And I’ve been to one more than most people, so I believe I’m an authority.

“So if you’ll allow your faithful familiar one selfish request?”

I nodded, certain that there wasn’t the slightest hint of teasing behind her words.

“Can we spend all day like this? No research or anything. Just lots and lots and looooots of affection?”

There was no way I could’ve ever said no.


	5. Arrival Arc: The Intersection of Lust and Knowledge

“Here you go, Mistress! One cup of my specially brewed Little Devil coffee blend and a plate of financiers baked by your ever-faithful familiar!”

“Thank you, Koakuma,” I replied, looking up from my book and offering her a slight nod, before looking at the tray she was carrying. She had brought out two cups, so it was clear to see what she was suggesting.

“If you and Saori have no other immediate duties, you are welcome to sit with us.”

It had been a week since we’d woken up from our dream and learned that Saori had been by our side all along, and though we had largely taken to simply referring to each other as “Patchouli” and “Koakuma,” when we had private moments such as this, we allowed ourselves to be more free in how we addressed one another.

We all knew the score and we got how things worked, even if we still wanted to do more research into it all. It took a little adjustment, sure, but after just a little while, it was like the four of us were a super happy family!

“Of course! I’m such a lucky familiar!”

Koacutie grinned and clapped her hands together, looking just like Sacchan when she got giddy talking with me back in Tokyo, and the two of us took a moment to simply appreciate the very vainly-named coffee. 

“Mm, it’s lovely, thank you,” I smiled, and turned my attention back to the book I had been absorbed in that day. While the information contained within scarcely seemed relevant to my current field of research, it was a fascinating read nonetheless.

But it was kiiiinda difficult to stay focused with a certain devil watching me like I was a zoo animal or something. Then again, I bet I looked super cute when I got into research mode!

I shook my head, brushing that brief flash of vanity aside, and spoke to Koakuma.

“Is something the matter? You’ve been staring for awhile.”

“Just admiring how adorable my Mistress Patchouli is!”

_ Yeah, you get it! _

I let out a heavy sigh.

“I’m certain that’s a factor, but there’s more to it, isn’t there? You’re staring very intently...”

“Ehehe, you caught me!” she winked, the wings on her head flapping happily. “It’s just really funny seeing Mistress Hina get so focused on reading! Back in Tokyo, you wouldn’t read anything but manga!”

“Mukyu!”

I took a bite of a financier, and composed myself. It was, as expected, delicious.

“Take care not to describe me the same way one would describe Hong Meiling, Saori…”

Okay, yeah, it was true. But, hearing her say it like that totally ticked me off!

“Go~t it!” she saluted and giggled, then added, “It’s true though…” in a much, much smaller voice.

I murmured a soft, “I get it…” then took another sip of the yummy coffee. Koakuma was getting really good at making things like this!

“Ah, but there is something else that’s been on my mind, Mistress Patchouli!”

“Oh?” I asked, finishing my first financier and starting on a second.

“Mhmm! You’ve been eating a lot of snacks this past week!”

“Mukyu?!”

It was a simple observation. It shouldn’t have bothered me in the least, and yet…

“Oh-ho? Is my Mistress up to something?”

I knew she was gonna use it to tease me! Of course it got me embarrassed!

“K-Koakuma, need I remind you that I can command you to cease speaking for as long as I see fit?” I tried to smile, though I knew my face showed exactly how flustered I was.

“You could, but then I couldn’t point out what I think you’re doing, Mistress…”

She knew I wasn’t going to be able to give her that order, so I kept quiet and nibbled on my financier.

“What  _ I  _ think is that a certain someone has doujinshi on the brain, and that they’re trying to find ways to get ultra huggable. Am I right, Mistress? ”

“D-Does it matter what I’m trying to do?”

“It does!” the devil nodded vigorously, bolting from her chair and rushing to my side, taking my hand in her own. “It does, because if you’re doing that, then I’ll get to see my curvy-wurvy Mistress in all her plushy glory! You’re so cute already, Mistress! You’re like an adorable little doll! Bu~t if you get that full figure, then...then...ufufufufu…”

_ Oh crap, they’re both so into this! _

Sacchan was suuuuch a perv deep down, and Koakuma was a thirsty mess no matter what situation she was in, so when you put ‘em together…

You got the dreadfully perverted devil currently losing herself in fantasies of me having-

“A squishy-wishy, round butt!”

-among other things…

I gave her a moment to collect herself, then ordered her to sit back down. If we were going to discuss this, I wanted to ensure that there’d be some modicum of calm between us.

“That is part of why I’ve been eating more snacks, yes.”

For the record, it wasn’t like I wasn’t gonna tell her eventually. I just wanted to have things a little more figured out, first.

“I knew it! Oh, you’ll look so cute! I get it, you know! When I first came here, I was pretty upset to see how small I turned out! I’m not unhappy or anything, but I know I can be a bombshell if I try, Mistress!”

“...Potential cuteness aside, I’m looking into magic that may give me the figure more commonly seen in the doujinshi we enjoy.”

“Just like in F-sensei’s work! Oh, but food doesn’t work for us the way it would for humans! It won’t have any effect on your body, Mistress!”

“Mm, I’m perfectly aware of that fact. It was merely done for testing purposes, as an attempt to help redirect the flow of mana throughout my body and adjust my form through that. It has, obviously, been fruitless.”

Koakuma nodded. I don’t think she really got it, but she was pretty eager to listen all the same.

“Ah, but Mistress!”

“Hmm?”

“You’d have found out it doesn’t work pretty quickly, right? So why’d you keep snacking so much?”

_ Gahhh, you know why! _

“Your snacks have been really yummy lately, and it’s just really nice knowing they were made with so much love, I guess…”

“Awww, you got so flustered you became a college girl again, ehehe! Mm, my beloved Mistress is the most adorable witch in the world!” Koakuma teased, making me blush even harder. I loved my dorky devil girlfriend just as much as I couldn’t stand her.

“They’re no match for Sakuya’s, but I’ll do my best to get better and better, Mistress!”

“...There’s no need. They’re special because they’re made by your hand…”

…

I hadn’t intended to say that out loud, but judging by Koakuma’s growing smirk, she’d be saving that one to throw back at me when I least expected it. I would have to stay on guard.

Right, stay on topic! At this rate, Koacutie and Sacchan are gonna get too excited to focus! And there’s no way I won’t join in if they do something about that excitement!

I cleared my throat and tried to get to the heart of the matter.

“So on that note, I’ll be redoubling my efforts to find a spell which might accomplish my goal. I’ll be having the both of you assist me in any way you can.”

“Of course! Haaah, and I’ll get such a great reward afterwards, too! Your faithful familiar will get to the bottom of this in no time, Mistress!”

I smiled softly. Though Saori and Koakuma were still perhaps a bit too excited, that enthusiasm was a positive sign. 

When we finished our coffee, I immediately returned to work, with my familiar scouring the library for anything she could that may prove useful. Though it took us quite some time, we gradually found an impressive number of promising leads.

Seeing all those books stacked up the way they were would have sent me into a panic attack in another life, but now...well, no matter how long it would take to go through all of them, I was excited! It would be super fun, prowling through the pages like a detective searching for clues in a sea of words! And even if I reached some dead ends, I’d still end up learning all kinds of fun stuff I never would’ve thought I wanted to know!

And that made it so much more satisfying when, just a few days later, I finally found what I was looking for!

...well, maybe I did, anyway.

“Koakuma, you can put your research on hold for the time being.”

“Oh? You found something, Mistress?!”

“I believe so, yes.”

“That’s incredible, Mistress! You’re finally going to have a full, bouncy chest for me to nibble and suck on! I can’t wait~!”

“...I should mention that I’m not absolutely certain of this spell’s efficacy. There is always the potential that it does not have the desired effect. It should, however, be perfectly safe, and simple enough to reverse if need be.”

“Well, whatever may come, your faithful familiar will always be by your side to assist in any way she can! However, Mistress?”

“Hmm?”

“Would you be willing to cast this spell on me, as well? You know how fond I am of F-sensei’s work, so if I could have a figure a bit closer to that… Well, that would be...quite~...”

Sacchan couldn’t even finish that sentence, and instead giggled away like a thirsty dork while her cheeks turned bright red. She was sooooo cute, jeez. I know I didn’t exactly get as openly pervy as her anymore, but I bet she knew I was laughing alongside her in spirit.

“Mm, I’d prepared the spell for you as well. It should give us both exactly what we desire.”

“You had?! Ufufu, Mistress Patchouli is sweeter than even I could have anticipated! Or maybe you’re just being dirty, hmm? Thinking about how good my butt’ll look once I’m a bombshell?”

“I-in any case, let’s not waste another moment. The sooner we cast this spell-”

“-The sooner you can show me just how naughty you can get, Mistress~!”

I couldn’t offer up much of a response to that. As embarrassing as it would be to admit, I was, indeed, remarkably eager to see Koakuma grow even more beautiful.

And so, without another word, I began casting the spell upon the both of us, following everything I had learned as closely as I possibly could. I was determined to leave no room for error. Though it may have come from a perverted state of mind, this spell was of the utmost importance to all of us.

The instant I finished my incantation, a hush fell over the library.

And it persisted, growing louder and louder, and making things stupidly awkward between us.

“...Mistress?”

I was incredibly grateful to Koakuma for breaking the silence, though I was not looking forward to the conversation we were sure to have. Not in the least.

“Yes, Koakuma?”

“Pardon your familiar for any potential rudeness. I’m just a lesser devil, so I understand that I have very little knowledge or talent when it comes to magic. But…”

_ No, it’s OK! Just say it! _

“...How long was this meant to take to kick in?”

My embarrassment was clear as day, yet I still responded.

“The effects should be instant.”

“Instant like when a firework goes dark for a second before it lets off a really beautiful explosion? That kind of instant?”

There was no hint of teasing in Koakuma’s voice, and that made it all the more difficult to respond.

“...That would hardly be instant, would it?”

“Oh… So…”

Koakuma paused for a moment, pondering what next to say. It was easy to forget that, beneath all of her teasing, she was an impossibly sincere girl who wanted nothing but my happiness.

“In that case, it...didn’t work?”

I sighed, took a deep breath, and opened up another grimoire, knowing I’d need to get back to my research.

“It didn’t work.”

“Ah…

I’ll go make us both some coffee. OK, Mistress Patchouli?”

Gah, her smile was so, so sweet! My cute familiar was working so hard to keep me upbeat that my heart could barely take it.

“I would appreciate that, yes.”

“And I prepared a tiramisu recently, so if you’d like some…”

“I would appreciate that, yes.”

“On it~! I love you, Mistress!”

“I love you too, Koakuma,” I smiled back. 

If she wasn’t gonna let herself get upset by this, then I wouldn’t either! This was gonna happen. It’d just take more research! And hey, that was a silver lining in its own way! I loved this stuff!

Just...y’know, I’d kinda hoped that I’d be moving onto researching another field at this point…

Well, there was no use growing dismayed. I had dealt with a number of disappointments in the past, and every single time I’d simply resolved to do better. This was no different.

By the time Koakuma returned with her special blend of coffee and yummy dessert, I asked her to sit with me for a while. Even if she couldn’t comprehend this work to the same extent as me, her presence served as an excellent motivator.

Once an hour had passed, however, I found myself growing increasingly distracted. Perhaps I was more dismayed than I was willing to admit. I hadn’t been quite this unfocused on research since my time as a student in Tokyo.

Numerous small things kept bothering me, doing everything in their power to prevent me from doing any further reading. The library felt strangely warm, which could potentially be explained by the summer heat outside. But the library had always remained perfectly cool and comfortable, and now I was beginning to sweat beneath my clothes.

_ Gah, I feel all gross. Maybe Koacutie’ll wanna take a bath with me or something. That’d be nice. _

Ugh...all the heat made it feel like my clothes were sticky. They felt tight and uncomfortable, and I kept shifting in my seat, but that got my panties to start wedging in, which then made me embarrassed, which made it even harder to focus!

“Mistress Hina, is something the matter?”

“I’m perfectly fine, Sacchan,” I lied through my teeth. “Thank you for asking.”

“Not that I doubt your word, Mistress, but are you sure? You’re breathing pretty heavily.”

_ I am doing no such thing! I don’t think I am, in any case... _

“I-I’m sure. Your concern is appreciated, however.”

Koakuma’s eyes narrowed. It seemed she saw right through me.

She stood up from her seat and walked to my side, then rested a hand on my shoulder.

“Nnn~!”

“Mistress?!”

“I’m...I’m just fine, Koakuma!” I looked up at her, showing an almost-certainly pained smile.

Just one simple touch and I felt a shock run through me. My body was remarkably sensitive in a way it had never been before.

And when I looked up at Koakuma I realized that...wow, she’s so hot…

It was like when I’d first woken up in the library. I couldn’t stop staring at her, really soaking in every inch of her ultra-cute body. Sure, she was really petite, but her face looked so damn adorable, and her lips seemed so full, and juicy, and kissable, and…

_...This is ridiculous. _

That spell, it seemed, had taken an effect of sorts, and judging by Koakuma’s grin, it seemed it was one that she had noticed too.

I was painfully aroused. So much so that if I was just the slightest bit less composed, I would almost certainly tear off my clothes and throw myself at Koakuma and Saori in an instant. As it was, I was just barely holding on.

“Oh my, I think I know what’s going on…”

Dammit, this spell was cast on both of us. Koakuma and Sacchan were always wrecks, so if it was hitting them as hard as it was hitting us…

Koakuma’s eyes looked so, so hungry...and so, so beautiful...

“Mistre~ss…” she giggled, reaching behind the chair and wrapping her arms around me, her hands cupping my chest. “Your nipples are so stiff, you know~ I bet they could use a devil’s touch…”

“I...K -Koakuma…”

I wanted to object, to insist that I was fine and just needed to relax, but...I couldn’t bring myself to do that.

So instead, I turned around and kissed her deeply, our tongue’s dancing around the inside of each other’s mouths.

“You’re so pretty, Mistress. So cool and confident and collected…” she grinned, panting heavily as she pulled away for a moment.

“And you’re always so sweet, so kind and loving…” I told her right back. “I’m so lucky to have a familiar as incredible as you…”

My eyes felt so heavy. I could barely focus. But that was fine. I just wanted to lean in against her ultra cute chest and go wild. This was gonna be  _ so _ fun…

But my eyelids kept getting heavier and heavier… And then the two of us both started yawning.

“Oh my… It seems we’ll all have to wait to show each other our love, won’t we?”

“It’s no fair…” I whined. “Koacutie, I wanna fuck…”

“Ehehe, you’ve become a college girl again…” Koakuma giggled as she picked me up, gently taking me by the hand and guiding me to the bed even as she herself seemed to grow just as tired as me. “I want to as well, Mistress. I feel like I’m about to explode…”

“But I’m getting so sleepy…”

“Can we settle for cuddling, Mistress? I’m sure...we’ll sleep so wonderfully…”

She was yawning more heavily now, her wings drooping lower and lower with each step we took.

“That will...have to do…”

I could hardly even speak. Without another word, Koakuma lay me down in the bed, before getting in next to me and hugging me gently, barely managing to cover us with the comforter before we both drifted off in each others’ arms.


	6. Arrival Arc: A Thin Book in a Big Library

Guh, I felt so cramped when I woke up. Something, or more likely someone, was squeezing me so tight I could hardly breathe.

It didn’t take much for me to figure out why.

“Koakuma. Let go.”

I spoke firmly. My heart wasn’t wavering in the slightest, so there could be no room for error with the command.

Yet my familiar refused to listen.

Well, that was a wash. I tried.

Look...I was so groggy that I kinda just wanted to go straight back to bed, okay? So, I kept my eyes shut and tried to make myself comfy.

But, I didn’t have much success with that, either.

_ Look, I love their hugs as much as any other self-respecting witch, but this is way too tight! _

Was there something wrong with our contract? This was clearly unwanted! Well, look, order or no, I could still try and ask her nicely.

“Koakuma, Saori, I love you, but your grasp is exceedingly tight. We can hug as much as you’d like once I’m in a more comfortable position.”

And still nothing.

“I’m not sure why you’re being so disobedient, but if something is bothering either of you, I would be happy to talk with you.”

_ C’mon, Sacchan. How much of a devilish streak did you pick up when you came here?! _

I simply couldn’t handle it any longer. Resigning myself to the waking up, I opened my eyes and tried to pull myself free of her grasp.

Which, it turns out, didn’t take much? I was able to rise from my sleeping position just fine, but…

_...But then why do I feel such a firm embrace, still? _

_ How on Earth…? _

It was at that moment that I realized my error. There was nobody in the bed other than myself, and no tight grasp engulfing me.

I looked down and instantly discovered the true culprit: my very own clothing, which had, over the course of my rest, become exceedingly tight on my body Though they’d been loose and comfortable when I’d gone to sleep, designed to be loose even on someone as borderline underweight as myself, they were now excruciatingly small for a frame that was...

_ It worked?! _

...Well, nothing like it was. In fact…

In fact, if I were just a li~ttle bit sleepier, I’d have sworn I was looking at a PoV shot from one of F-sensei’s works!

_ It worked! _

But that was of little import. What mattered most was ensuring that I could breathe without issue, so I hastily worked to squeeze out of my outfit and toss it aside, where it fluttered lightly to the ground, likely to never see use again.

_ Much better. Now, I believe I have an assessment to make… _

Alright, you caught me. I definitely wanted to breathe, which I absolutely couldn’t do with just how tight that outfit was against my chest, but...yeah, that totally wasn’t the whole reason I stripped down. After all that research and work, I was way, way too giddy about what was waiting under my PJs to not take a peek right away! And, lemme tell you, the results definitely lived up to the expectations!

I was...so,  _ so _ soft. Delightfully so. I was perhaps not particularly overweight (as though such concepts apply to witches in the first place…), but that was a comfort and cushiness to every inch of my figure that was...breathtaking…

A pudgy little tummy that was perfectly grabbable; lovely, wide hips with plenty of cushion to them; plump, full thighs that would look so good squeezed into a pair of stockings; the undoubtedly great, round, pinchable butt that came with hips and thighs like that; and a chest so full and heavy that I was starting to get wet just from feeling their weight against my body...

It was perfect. A resounding success. I’d become a sexy, cushy shut-in, through and through!

_ A~h, I’m sorry, Koacutie! There’s no way I can hold back seeing all of this! _

I reached up, my hands mere inches away from my chest, ready to-

“Oh my~! Whatever do we have here, Mistress~?”

_ Koakuma?! _

I pulled my hands away, my cheeks growing warmer as I turned to face my familiar. Just one look at her was all it took for them to turn from a light pink to a deep, burning crimson.

It wasn’t just me it worked on! It worked for Koakuma and Sacchan! They were a total bombshell!

“Uhuhuhu…”

As a soft laugh carrying all of my desire escaped my mouth, I rushed to clamp my hands over my lips. I could scarcely believe I had such little self control, but it was utterly impossible not to grow captivated by the vision of beauty in front of me.

“O~h, such a naughty sound~! Was that for me, Mistress?”

“I-It’s nothing Koakuma!”

Just like I couldn’t tell her I was about to masturbate, I couldn’t tell her I’d gotten even more aroused seeing her like that. I just couldn’t! I had my pride as a witch to protect!

“Is that so~? I’m not sure I believe you, Mistress...because it certainly looks like you were about to have all kinds of fun ri~ght before I showed up. And you looked like you wanted to have even more once you saw me,” Koakuma said, breathing the end of her sentence into my ear, causing all the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.

To say nothing of the goosebumps I could feel around my stiffening nipples.

“That’s not it at all!”

Koakuma just grinned. Who was I kidding? There’s no way I could hide this from her!

She climbed on the bed, crawled behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist, caressing me gently as she pushed her  _ much _ larger chest against my bare back.

_ Fuuuck...I can’t take it… _

I could tell that, despite her enhanced figure, Koakuma was wearing clothes, but it was still so much...

“There’s no reason to hide it, Mistress. Your spell was just so wonderful, after all~ I’ve had far longer to adjust than you, but when I first woke, my hands were practically glued to my body! Oh, but I’m still a dutiful familiar, Mistress! I kept su~ch a close eye on it while you slept, admiring every curvy inch of your gorgeous figure! My mistress is so se~xy…

“Well, I suppose it’s OK if you can’t be honest, Mistress. It just makes you even sweeter~”

Koakuma was just achingly beautiful before all of this. Now, though, she had me melting. I was so horny, it was honestly kinda painful, and I didn’t know if I could hold on at all, the melodic risings and fallings of her voice driving me wild.

“Besides, your body is honest to a fault~!”

And then she grabbed my chest, and wasted no time squeezing and massaging it vigorously.

“Ngh~!”

“Oh? Isn’t this so sad, Mistress? It looks like your nipples are rather shy~! Why don’t I show them that it’s OK to come out, hmm?”

She gave me no chance to respond, aggressively rubbing and teasing my areolae with her fingers as she attempted to coax my nipples from their hiding place. Though they hadn’t been inverted previously, my chest’s dramatically increased size seemed to have hidden them away entirely, and it seemed they were remarkably eager to be toyed with, popping free with little resistance as Koakuma’s nails lightly brushed past them.

“They’re so big! There isn’t a single inch of you that isn’t lovely, Mistress~! Hmmm, but if all of you got so much lovelier, that must mean you taste even better than you used to, no?”

“P-Perhaps…”

“You think so, too?! Haah, we’re perfectly in sync! Well then, in that case, why don’t I help myse-”

“Not yet…” I muttered. 

“Oh?”

I wanted it right now, more than I could really stand, but this was a big moment, not just for me, but for her, too. And as aroused as I was, there was no way I could stand being as selfish as to not celebrate  _ with _ my familiar.

“Your...clothes…” my voice still dripping with lust, I barely eked out those two words.

“Hehe...you like them, Mistress? How sweet~! I made them myself, you know? I had to, after all. There’s no way anything I had before could ever fit this body! And as fun as it would be for us to just live without them...hehe...I’m sure even you would say that’s improper, Mistress!”

“Nnn~” I moaned as she squeezed my chest.

Shit...I had something I wanted to tell her, and I could barely get it out...

“But for now…” she cooed, and gently nibbled on my ear before pulling away.

Those few seconds she felt like agony. My body needed her so badly...

“...Let’s get them off, shall we~? Won’t that be so much more fun, Mistress?”

I couldn’t stop myself from nodding. I’d wanted to command her to take them off, though it was so, so hard to get those words out between my moans. It seemed she’d gotten the message loud and clear, though, an amazing benefit of our pact (though there were still plenty of times that it had caused me unimaginable troubles). I turned around to look at her, just in time to see her boobs popping free of her red, lacy bra, and practically died. 

“You...you’re so damn sexy!”

“Eheh, I do love that side of you, Mistress, when all your honesty just comes spilling out~” she grinned, as she pulled down her tights and let me fully admire her impossibly gorgeous thighs. I wanted her to hold me, to touch me, to show me all of her love. “Seeing you go from being all formal and serious to just begging for my embrace...it’s quite a thrill, you know~”

I nodded, breathless, forsaking my pride as a witch as I indulged her in her teasing. I wanted my not-so-little devil more than words could describe (and I trust I don’t need to tell you that I know a considerable amount), and I knew that she wanted me just as badly. Even if her happiness to oblige my desires came with an excruciating amount of foreplay, I knew it would be worth it for the both of us. After all, though her job as my familiar was to serve me, she knew I’d not want that at the sake of her own desires.

“I’m so lucky, don’t you think? I get such a kind, sweet mistress who can barely contain her lust, yet she still waits for me to undress so we can both have tons of fun~! Ehehe, but it’s no fun if I keep you waiting any longer, is it?” Koakuma teased, crawling toward me with an impossibly hungry grin. As much as she was trying to act like I was the only one pent up here, she was about ready to burst herself, she just wore that way better than I ever could.

Once she was near, she wrapped an arm around me so very gently, then placed her free hand above my chest and slowly—so slowly—guided me down onto my back, staring deeply into my eyes all the while. I watched as they grew closer and closer, as if they were threatening to swallow me whole, stopping only once her lips pressed gently against my own. It took little for mine to part, our tongues soon dancing around one another.

I could feel her hand slowly moving down my body, tracing the curve of my stomach, and then my hips, before coming to rest on my thighs, gently tickling the indentation left by the far, far too tight panties I’d been wearing. I could feel a puff of breath against my cheek, telling me exactly how grateful Koakuma was to admire the way my body had changed. Though we’d done this in the past, that spell had reinvigorated us in a way as though it was our very first time once again.

As her fingers moved toward my inner thighs, inching painfully slowly towards my crotch, I could recall the day I first summoned her vividly. She was so warm, now as she was then, just eternally sweet and energetic.

_ “Mistress Patchouli Knowledge, was it?” _

Her tongue moved faster, vigorously sampling everything I had to offer her.

_ “I confess to struggling with a great many things, but I’d like to learn and help you however I can!” _

Her hand reached my lips, pinching and rubbing them with the same verve she showed in everything she did.

I wasn’t gonna let her work so hard for no reward, so I moved my hand up to her lips, and quickly slipped a finger inside of her, feeling just how warm and inviting even that part of her was. She gasped, then giggled, and kissed me even deeper.

_ “I understand if you’d prefer someone with more talent than myself, but…” _

Back then, she’d smiled at me, even as she considered the idea that I might toss her aside. It was clear even then that she wanted nothing but to stay by my side, that her love was so much deeper than I could ever imagine. That she trusted me to treat her with that same love in turn.

_ “If you’ll have me, I’d be delighted to serve as your faithful familiar, Mistress!” _

Her own fingers matched mine, slipping inside and bullying my clit. I knew she could feel how stiff it had grown, how desperate it was for her touch, which is why she moved so very slowly and deliberately, bringing forth more pleasure than I knew I was capable of feeling. Though I knew the spell was playing a part in my sensitivity, amplifying my feelings as I adjusted to my more voluptuous figure, I also knew that the majority of my pleasure still came squarely from my wonderful, hard working familiar. Even in matters such as these, there was nobody more perfect than Koakuma and Sacchan. 

Before I even realized it, I was bucking my hips wildly, greedily asking for more and more with my body. Of course, she was all too happy to oblige, moving her fingers just a little bit faster, plunging them deeper and deeper.

“Ehehe, Mi~stress~” Koakuma pulled back, smiling down at me.

Damn, I was so out of breath…

I wanted her to stay on me, but now that she’d given me a bit of space, all I could do was pant heavily, desperate for more of her love.

“I’ve never seen you want it  _ this _ badly~! Just think of what anyone else would say if they could see you, hmm? A great witch such as you, being teased and toyed with by a lowly familiar like me?”

I shuddered, her teasing affecting me far more deeply than I could have anticipated.

“I-It’s a simple mana transfer. Rituals such as this strengthen the bond that forms the basis of our contract!”

“Oh~? Just a simple mana transfer, hmm?”

She pulled her hand away from my pussy, and before I even realized it, I was arching my back and raising my hips, doing everything I could to get her touch back.

Of course, my familiar noticed my desperation immediately.

“Then you must be particularly eager to strengthen our bond, Mistress Patchouli~! Such a needy little witch…”

As close as I came to begging outright (though my body had already betrayed me long ago), and as certain as I was that my expression alone made my desires as clear as day, Koakuma did not return to teasing me with her hand. Instead, she moved lower down my body, slowly and gently kissing her way down over my stomach.

Oh shit...I knew exactly what she was doing, and I wanted it  _ bad _ . Of course I did, though. Our contract meant that she could almost always ascertain my true desires, and during something as intimate as sex, well…

She knew of needs that even I myself didn’t realize needed fulfilling There wasn’t a single thing she would do that wouldn’t satisfy me deeply.

Her lips, soft and warm, continued past my belly, my familiar giggling, all the while and telling me how delightful my figure had become. 

“Ufufu, these thighs are such a treat, Mistress! Remember how small they were before you slept? Or how toned and strong they were in Tokyo? Now they’re so wonderfully soft and squishy! A luxurious pillow for your familiar!”

“Mmm, pillows that you once breathlessly told me you wanted to bury your head in when you could only see them in doujinshi. I believe you told me you wanted them to engulf you, Sacchan.”

“So I did~! In much the same way that you always said my boobs looked so fun to suck~! Still want that, Mistress Hina? To suckle at them like a child?”

_ Sacchan’s such a friggin’ tease now! _

“Ehehe, there’ll be time for that later, though. For now, why don’t I finally fulfill my own fantasies, hmm? After all, I know you can’t wait to see me nestled between these!”

Sacchan grinned, gently slapped my thighs with her palms, and then started kissing them, forced them apart until she could shove herself right between them, and stared up at me with a smile.

_ Fuck, you’re so cute! _

“Oh-ho, but Mistress Patchouli, no doujinshi could ever hope to capture the true beauty of this!”

“W-What on earth are you referring to?”

“Oh, you really don’t know? Haaah, to think a great witch could be so childish~”

“I am nothing of the sort! I just-nnnaah~!”

Try as I might, the sensation of Koakuma nibbling and teasing my lips stopped me from coming anywhere near completing my sentence.

“I meant this adorably chubby pussy, Mistress~! So cute and puffy, and such a steady flow of mana! I can only imagine how much stronger our bond will grow if I lap up e~very last drop, right, Mistress?”

Koakuma didn’t wait a moment before licking me greedily, her tongue eagerly devouring my juices.

“Quantity-nnnh~!-has no bearing on the success of the transfer ritual!”

“Oh, so you don’t want me to drink it all up? Such a shame! It’s so tasty, you know?”

“It’s embarrassing, but...but look, just keep going, OK?!”

I couldn’t hold myself back. The seconds where she stopped licking felt like agony, so I began playing with myself, fondling and squeezing my sensitive, heavy chest to satiate my needs.

“Ehehe, I’m so glad you’re so honest, Mistress~!”

Thankfully, I didn’t find myself waiting long, and with a giggle, Koakuma stuck her tongue inside of me, dutifully drinking every last drop she could find.

As tempting as it was to simply continue to fondle my breasts, the pleasure she gave me was too fulfilling to not reward. I reached a hand down—keeping one firmly on my chest and massaging it to the best of my abilities—and gently petted her hair.

I felt the breath of a soft giggle condense against my skin, before her tongue started moving just a bit faster. It was clear that she was deeply enjoying this.

Ehehe...it was super fun watching her get more and more into it, honestly. The way those adorable little wings on her head started flapping happily like a dog wagging their tail was just  _ too _ cute! Koakuma was undoubtedly a bombshell now, but she’d always been a cutie.

_ Kinda wonder what it’d feel like to touch ‘em… _

So I indulged my urge and gently grabbed one of her wings between my thumb and forefinger, rubbing it in small, delicate circles.

“Hyah~! Mistress!”

Koakuma looked up at me, wearing a blush deeper than any I had ever seen.

“They’re sensitive, Mistress, so-haaaah~!”

_ And so my precious familiar reveals a weak point… _

“Your fingers feel  _ sooooo _ good, Mistress Patchouli…”

Her licking grew slower, her tongue moving at a much more deliberate pace as she went back inside of me, as though she’d wanted to reward me for what I’d done with her wings.. To say she was incredible at this would frankly be a vast understatement.

“Nnn~ Koa...kuma…”

“But as sensitive as those are, I bet I can make you squirm so much more than that~!”

Declaring that with a smile, she got right back to eating me out. Honestly, I didn’t doubt her for a second. 

Still...I wasn’t quite sure what Koakuma or Sacchan might want from me during all of this. The contract didn’t cut both ways, so I couldn’t see her inner desires or anything like that.

Shit, it kinda made me self-conscious. She was being so incredible, and I couldn’t match that at all.

Gah! I had to try harder to make her feel good, so I played with her wings just a little harder, hoping that it’d do the trick. Though it definitely made her all squirmy, with the way she was giggling, I wasn’t quite sure it was making her feel good in the way I wanted it to.

“Oh my, what’s this?” Koakuma asked, popping her head out from between my thighs.

“Why on Earth are you stopping? Is something the matter?”

“Mm...it’s just that for all my hard work…” she ran a finger across my thighs, giggling as I shuddered from the sensation, “my Mistress is still so frustrated! Something’s worrying you, but you’re hiding it from even me!”

“That...simply isn’t true…” I could feel heat building in my cheeks, and I quickly averted my eyes away from her gaze. It wouldn’t do me any good. Saori could see right through me.

“You know, Mistress Patchouli, you looked so very beautiful playing with your chest. Haaah, it looks so full...so soft and heavy! It must be paradise itself~!”

As much as I wanted to deny it, my true nature as a stupidly horny wreck reared its head and forced me to nod my head.

I couldn’t hide it: I loved these boobs.

“If I had to say what  _ I _ wanted most, well… perhaps it’s that I want to be pampered by my soft, lovely Mistress. To lay in her lap and suck on her incredible chest~!”

_ We truly can’t hide anything from her, can we? _

She knew I wanted to make her feel good too, she knew how desperate I was to fulfill her as much as she fulfilled me, and now she was working to give me the opportunity.

Though I was still embarrassed, I couldn’t ignore her request. I didn’t want to, truthfully.

“‘Like a child’, was it?” 

My face was bright red.

As much as I was loath to admit such a thing, I was no match for Koakuma when it came to teasing.

“Exactly!” Koakuma grinned, not missing a beat as she climbed up to me and placed herself squarely on my lap, looking up at me with an impossibly greedy expression.

“May I, Mistress?”

I nodded, smiling softly as I guided her head down to my chest, raising a breast to meet her lips.

Fu~ck, it felt so good. The way she gently grazed her teeth against my nipples, applying just enough pressure to make sure they were really tingling before she sucked them was just the best. It was the first time for all of us with these bodies, but she was so damn confident, so in control of everything that it was like she was a practiced expert. I had to give her some kind of reward, and I knew exactly what would do the trick.

During my research into altering my body, there was a principle that seemed perfectly sound, yet failed to yield any lasting results. However, for a situation such as this, and for as small of an effect as what I had planned, it would work perfectly.

I concentrated as best as I could considering my familiar’s suckling, and found the flow of mana within my body, then steadily guided it towards my chest. If everything worked as I had planned it, a result would make itself known in mere seconds.

“Mmm?!”

That was it. Even if I hadn’t felt it working, Sacchan’s excited little squeal would’ve told me right away that everything had gone off without a hitch. I was lactating, and my familiar was happily, greedily lapping my milk up, tugging on my nipple to make it flow faster.

“Nnn~!”

“Too hard, Mistress?”

“No...no. Harder…”

I cradled my familiar gently, petting her head while she sucked away. Maybe the milk was getting me all mommyish, but she just looked too~ cute! I love her so, so much…

“Ehehe, you’re so sweet, Mistress. I could drink you up all day~”

I wanted her to, in truth. It felt so deeply fulfilling that for a while, I wasn’t certain if there was a purer display of our love for each other than this. 

“And to think,” Koakuma grinned, licking a stray drop of milk off of her lips, “this made your boobs look even bigger!”

She then switched to my other breast, and sucked it just as greedily as the last, if not moreso. It was true: the flow of mana had caused them to swell. Though it would hardly last, there was a certain joy to seeing my familiar’s head practically engulfed in my chest. I almost felt jealous, wondering what it must be like to be surrounded by so much soft, full flesh.

But as blissful as this was, there was also a frustration welling up within me, something I couldn’t seem to quash no matter how greedily my familiar suckled at my bosom.

I wanted not just to do something  _ for _ her, but  _ to _ her. And yet, I could not discern what such an act might be.

“But you know… As wonderful as these are~” Sacchan giggled, squeezing my boob and watching a bit of milk squirt out onto her face, “you wanna know what I think your best asset is, Mistress?”

I nodded. She was clearly sensing my desire.

“It’s that big, round, plump, cu~shy butt! My mistress is such an adorable little shut-in, doing nothing but reading books and snacking away in her library, it’s no wonder her butt would get so nice and meaty, is it? Ufufu, I’d lo~ve to know how it’d feel on top of me...”

“Mukyuuu?!”

Dammit… It turned me on so much, it really did, but… That’s embarrassing, Koakuma! Calling my ass “meaty” like that! It’s super, super embarrassing!

_ You...desire for me to  _ sit _ on you?! To plant my bottom on your face?! Preposterous! I’m a great witch, I can’t do something so shameful...can I? _

“I-Is it not enough to just enjoy my milk?”

“Mmm, it’s delicious, and your nipples are just adorable but, Mistress…”

She knew, deep down, just as I did.

“You’re the one who wants to go even further, no? To do something  _ to _ your faithful familiar…”

There was little point in arguing. As much as I wished to deny it, as shameful as it was to admit, the idea of...sitting on her...was deeply appealing to me.

And, look, I really wanted to feel Koacutie’s tongue down there! The only person I was arguing with here was myself. If it meant I’d get to feel something that good, I could deal with a little embarrassment.

Nodding gently, I patted Koakuma’s head and gestured for her to lay on the bed.

I wanted to make my familiar happy, and I was going to do so, no matter what.

Koakuma giggled as she got on her back, watching me the entire time as I got up, fighting the blush in my cheeks every step of the way, and stood over her face, looking down at her ultra-sexy body.

“Oh, wow! It looks so~ full from here, Mistress! Haaah...a whole new angle to appreciate! Your body is so wo~nderful…”

_ Sacchan! _

My cheeks were burning. I knew she’d just keep staring the longer I stood, so I started squatting down. That was no better, though, as I became aware that the closer I got to her face, the better the view of my bottom would get for her. But, the faster I went, the less embarrassing things she’d be able to say about my body. And yet, that would only be because her face would be engulfed by my...

And then, Koakuma reached up and slapped my bottom, the loud smack echoing through the library.

I was frozen, even as she started cupping my cheeks and giggling as she squeezed them.

“Ehehe, such a perfect cushion! There isn’t an inch of you that isn’t perfect, Mis-mmph!”

It was she who forced my hand (or, in this case, bottom). I had to put a stop to this. She was my familiar, and I her mistress. As enjoyable as her teasing could be, I had to show her that there was a limit to my tolerance.

So I sat right down, planting my ‘full, meaty’ ass right on her face, and felt the tickle of her breath against my skin.

My emotions were...mixed, to say the least. On the one hand, it only made me more aware of the deeply frustrating compliments she’d given me (as well as the even more frustrating pride I felt at hearing them). On the other, however, it felt good to press myself down on my familiar like this. Knowing she was below me and completely at my mercy had an undeniable appeal.

And lemme tell you, her tongue felt  _ so _ good!

“Nnn~! Koakuma, keEP doing that, do you understaAANd~?”

It was just perfect! It’d be all ticklish and kinda disarming, then it’d just make me shudder like crazy as she spread my cheeks and went in deeper. Sacchan and Koakuma were, apparently, absolute masters at using their tongue. Just friggin’ perfect at making me feel better than I ever knew I could.

_ Damn, Sacchan, who knew you could be  _ this  _ dirty?! _

And to top it all off, my boobs were still just full of milk and ultra sensitive for it, so while she was going to town on my ass, I massaged my chest firmly, the pleasure of both acts almost pushing me to the brink.

She could call my bottom all manner of embarrassing things at this point, truly. I was certain I wouldn’t care. My face was bright red, but the smile I realized I had been wearing from the moment I sat down was a clear sign of just how wonderfully exciting all of this had been for me. 

My breathing was labored and heavy. I knew that it wouldn’t be much longer before I could hold myself back no longer. But, it simply wouldn’t be fair if I was the only one to finish. My familiar deserved her climax, too. As deeply as she seemed to be enjoying what she was doing, I decided to take the initiative without her input.

I lifted up for a sec, just giving them enough time to breathe, and shifted forward, laying down on top of my familiar until she and I both were face-to-face with each other’s pussies. I wasn’t gonna let our first time like this go out without a serious bang.

Her desire was on full display, thick and glistening in the low light of the library. I would have waited for her to make the first move, to lap up my essence once more, but I was determined to show her that I was a worthy mistress, and didn’t hesitate for a moment before licking at her lips, slowly and lovingly.

“Woooow~! Mistreeess~!”

I heard her moan in her own, absurdly giddy way, and could tell even without the benefit of a contract that this is what she truly wanted. She wanted a mistress who would love her just as completely as she loved me, and would take every effort to show it.

That, and she  _ really _ wanted to be eaten out.

I spread her adorable lips, gazed at her gentle pink bud, and licked it, running my tongue vigorously along its surface, every shake beneath me a sign of how well I was doing for her. When she began doing the same in turn, I knew that we were truly in harmony.

It was soooooo good! Everything about this had just been mindblowing, the kind of sex Sacchan and I would’ve perved over endlessly in a doujin back in Tokyo. And, somehow, we were all living it!

It was just too damn much to bear. As much as I wanted to make it last forever, I could feel my thighs tensing up, struggling to hold back a flood that was seconds away, at best.

But, that was fine. Perhaps I’d made peace with that already, knowing that it would be a climax that showed all my feelings more deeply than anything that had come before it.

I wrapped an arm around Saori’s bottom, and started squeezing her cheeks while I continued to drink in her love.

Soon, it felt as if the world faded around us, and all four of us realized that we were ready.

_ I love you both so much! _

As we came, we both let out muffled, deeply satisfied moans, continuing to lap each other up with the last of our gradually ebbing strength.

Truly, it was incredible.

Soon, the library grew still around us, no longer filled by the sounds of our passionate shouts and moans, but by a pleasant quiet pierced by nothing other than our breathing as we lay with one another.

As well as, distressingly, the ever-growing sound of approaching footsteps.

“Patchouli~? Patchouli~? I hope I’m not interrupting any-”

Sorry, I was saying something about being drained a sec ago?

Scratch  _ all _ that.

My heart was pounding a mile a minute when I realized what was happening, and I tore myself out from between Koakuma’s thighs so quickly that even my old coach would’ve complimented me for it, just in time to come face to face with an extremely embarrassed puppeteer, who, despite her best efforts to tear herself away from the scene in front of her, couldn’t help but peek out at us from between her fingers.

“Hello Alice! It’s great to see you again!”

“Mukyu?!?!”

Of course, my familiar greeted her as if there was nothing wrong in the slightest.

“I-I’ll come back later! Sorry for the intrusion!”

As she turned to leave, I hurriedly removed myself from the bed, painfully aware of my own nudity.

“N-No! You have nothing to apologize for, Alice! Just...give me a moment!”

“Th-That’s OK! It wasn’t urgent, so…

D-Did your chest get bigger, Patchouli?”

“It did! Mine too, see?”

“I...certainly do…”

“I’ll explain in a second!”

_ If I don’t just pass out first! _

“And it’s not just her chest! Her thighs, and her butt, and-”

“Enough, Koakuma! Alice, just...take a seat and we can talk in a moment! Please?”

“O-Of course…”

Alice walked away with all the grace of a robot from an old sci-fi movie, and I started to swoon. I’d have dropped straight to the ground if Sacchan hadn’t rushed to catch me.

“Ehehe, you want some clothes, Mistress Patchouli? I’ve already made some in your size, you know!”

“And when, pray tell, did you find the time to obtain my measurements?”

“When I was figuring out my own!” Koakuma giggled, then walked away to fetch my clothes once she was certain I was steady. 

I probably don’t need to spell it out, but all her answer did was leave me with  _ way _ more questions.

~~~

“That’s...quite a bit more revealing than your usual style, Patchouli…” Alice smiled.

She was doing her very best to be sweet, even now.

“You’re correct, yes. Granted, it wasn’t my decision...”

“I made it myself! Don’t you think it’s cute, Alice?”

“Ahaha… It certainly suits you, Patchouli.”

_ It really does! It’s the best! _

No, I didn’t give voice to my stupidly eager thoughts. Still, there was no fault in taking pride in my figure, and this outfit certainly highlighted much to be proud of.

It wasn’t too far off from the usual PJs, really! Same colors and everything, and my cap was the same as always, but it was way less...flowy than the old outfit, I guess? Koakuma left a clear window for my chest, showing off a pretty healthy dose of cleavage, and while my legs used to be totally covered up, this dress stopped mid-thigh, showing just a hint of creamy, soft skin between it and the thigh high stockings she’d given me. The outfit was finished with a pair of cute, Victorian-looking boots, and it all looked super good on me!

Of course, there was no way I hadn’t noticed that it took more than a little bit of inspiration from some of the doujins we liked, but I didn’t mind in the least. A good idea’s a good idea, no matter where it comes from!

“I’m...glad to hear you think so.”

“I’ll admit, I’m curious about the sudden changes you’ve both gone through. Is...everything alright?”

“Mhmm! Better than ever!”

“Koakuma, I believe the question was directed at me.”

I had to take the reins of the conversation, or Koakuma would very well guide it down a far more embarrassing route, so I gave her a simple order.

“Fetch us tea, Koakuma. Any preference, Alice?”

“Do you have Darjeeling, Koakuma?”

“We do! I’ll fetch it right away!” Koakuma beamed, giving me a cute-as-hell salute before heading off to get tea.

As weird as this whole situation was, that’d keep things nice and calm, at least. Still, I did want to be frank with Alice. She was a friend, and deserved to be treated as such.

“To answer your question myself, Koakuma and I are perfectly well. I...merely wished to look...hmmm…”

“Sexier?”

I nodded, grateful that she had chosen the most appropriate word, as base as it may have been.

“Why, thank you. I’m glad you feel that way. Yes, that was the general desire. It took quite a bit of research, but both Koakuma and I are very happy with the end result.”

“Yup! Super happy! Mistress Patchouli says I’m a bombshell, y’know?! Here you go, two cups of Darjeeling tea, and a slice of Castella cake for each of you!”

“Mukyu?!”

So much for procuring privacy. My familiar had returned remarkably fast.

“Ahaha! Thank you, Koakuma! And that’s sweet of you, Patchouli.”

Alice’s usual, warm demeanour had returned in full.

Unfortunately, it had come at the cost of a small piece of my dignity.

“I-I’d merely wished to appropriately compliment my familiar for her effort. Her work was instrumental to the spell’s success, after all.”

Koakuma bowed and giggled.

“Well, I definitely wouldn’t disagree with the assessment. How long does the effect last?”

“It should be permanent. Koakuma informed me that after it was cast, I fell into a week-long slumber, so I’m taking the fact that it has held that entire time without me being active as a positive sign. The same principles used to cast it should mean I can reverse it if I truly desire to, though I don’t foresee that ever being necessary.”

“Ahaha...I admit, I miss how petite you were before, Patchouli, but you’re still adorable, even now. If the spell makes the two of you happier, I’m all for it.”

“Indeed, I’m...not quite sure I’m ready to show the mansion’s other residents the results of my efforts just yet, but I’m sure they’ll be just as understanding.”

“Gotta wait for the side effects to subside first, huh, Mistress? I hope they’re gone before that party Miss Remilia’s holding!”

“I-Indeed…”

“Side effects?”

I don’t blame Alice for getting curious. I know that would’ve gotten my attention too, but...gah, I was really gonna have to tell her about all of this, huh?

“They’re...minor, though they make movement somewhat-”

“She’s su~per sensitive!”

I was starting to doubt that Koakuma was half as faithful as she made herself out to be.

“Koakuma, silence!”

My order may have been immediately-binding and absolute, but the damage had already been done.

“Sensitive? So...when I walked in on you both and saw you-”

“Engaging in a mana transfer!”

“-If you insist.” Alice nodded, but it was super clear that she wasn’t buying it. 

It wasn’t wrong, though! I mean...it technically wasn’t.

“It strengthens the contract between familiar and master!”

“Oh, of course!” Alice continued to not-quite-agree. “I’m sure there’s nothing as stimulating as strengthening a contract, right Koakuma?”

Still bound to my command, Koakuma nodded vigorously.

“Then, that very effective transfer today, when you didn’t notice me come in...that was because of your sensitivity?”

“...Perhaps it was.”

“And...you said it also made movement...hard?”

I really didn’t think Alice would be this much of a tease, but I guess she  _ really _ wanted to strike while the iron was hot. There was no getting out of it at this point, so I came clean, sighing heavily before telling her exactly what she seemed so desperate to hear.

“Please keep this to yourself, Alice.”

“Of course!”

“But...the sensation of my clothes shifting on my skin is...intense, to say the least. Even the slight feeling of my thighs occasionally rubbing against each other… Well, I’m not currently in a state I’d willingly present myself to others in…”

Alice’s jaw dropped.

_ That was far too blunt! I understand I wasn’t much for delicacy in Tokyo, but I need to show more tact than this! _

“That’s...umm… Wow, Patchouli…”

I knew that look. The way Alice was darting her eyes around, doing everything she could to not look right at me (outside of a few stray glances at my thighs, of course), and the way she was clutching her legs together tightly…

I got it. I could sense my own. She was a thirsty wreck right now, and  _ jeez _ , she looked cute!

“S-Sorry for prying!”

“With the way Koakuma had been acting, it would have been incredibly difficult not to. On that note, Koakuma? You are permitted to speak. Just...please, don’t overshare…”

“Ehehe, got it, Mistress!”

The devilish look in her eye told me that she saw Alice’s current state of arousal just as clearly as I did.

“But, no, don’t worry Alice. You’re a trusted friend, and speaking frankly every so often can be therapeutic.”

“I-It’s given me a lot to think about, ehehe…”

_ Damn, yeah, I bet it has. Hang in there, Alice! _

Look, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a  _ liiittle _ tempted to ask her if she wanted to see how sensitive I was for herself. Sacchan’d probably enjoy it, too! But, nah, I think the both of us were too drained to do anything now.

“So then, you came here to ask me something?”

“Oh, yes! About the grimoire I borrowed the other day, there’s some information I’m not quite sure about…”

As the conversation headed in a direction that was a little more ordinary to all of us, I looked back at my familiar for a sec, and gave ‘em a soft smile.

_ I love you both, even if we’re all pervs. _

_ Nah. Especially cause we are. _

I just knew they heard it.


	7. Arrival Arc: Fireworks Over Gensokyo

“Mmmnh!” Meiling affirmed, chomping away at a large piece of meat that was dripping grease onto the mansion lawn. “I think you look good, Patchy!”

As much as I’d grown accustomed to dealing with most of her slovenly nature, there were some things that grew tiring to repeat, and I couldn’t help but feel my temper flare.

“Again, I must remind you that only Remi is permitted to-”

“Maybe I’m bein’ kinda forward, but you look really sexy, Patchy! Like, super comfy and cushy!”

_ Ah… _

“W-Well…”

Meiling did, occasionally, have her moments, I suppose.

Hers weren’t the first compliments I’d gotten at the party, and in truth, I still found the open declarations of admiration endlessly wonderful. Everyone seemed pretty happy with how hot I was, which had really made it kinda fun going around to everyone.

“Honestly, I’m gettin’ kinda sleepy just looking at you, Patchy! You look so soft...I kinda just wanna take a nap on you!”

Still, Meiling was endlessly talented for leaving me at a loss for words. It was probably just all that meat getting her sleepy, and didn’t she mean nap  _ with _ me? No, considering my thighs, I suppose not…

Thankfully, I wasn’t the only person at the party, so I didn’t have to come up with an answer.

“Meiling…need I remind you how many times I caught you dozing off during your work this past week?”

Sakuya, the ever-consummate maid who’d been put in charge of grill duty, was speaking formally, but it was pretty clear she was totally pissed off.

“Huh? I don’t think it was that many! Least not more than usual! Besides, no intruders got in, right?”

At least, it was clear if you weren’t Meiling. She just leaned back and laughed.

For myself, though, it was obvious that her anger was intensifying to a palpable level: even though we were a fair way away from the grill she was stationed at, I could feel heat that certainly wasn’t from any flame emanating from the maid.

“Oh? Was it that many? It’s OK! No intruders got in, right?”

Anyone who wasn’t Meiling, of course. Nope, she just sat back and laughed, not even a little bit worried about Sakuya’s steadily growing anger.

“Mistress Remilia,” Sakuya started to ask, gripping a carving fork worryingly tight, “may I?”

“Not tonight, Sakuya. She’s keeping Flan company,” Remilia instructed, tilting her head to the small, blonde girl who’d latched onto Meiling’s side.

“Yup! I’m workin’ hard tonight, so no fighting allowed!” Meiling boasted, pointing to herself with her thumb. “Oh, hey, that’s just about done! Mind if I grab some, Sakuya?”

She’d asked, which I suppose was an attempt at manners, but she’d already walked over and had the skewer of meat in her hand by the time Sakuya could manage even a nod. Our ever-diligent gatekeeper then wandered off, a broad grin on her face and a Flandre at her heels.

Sakuya was glaring daggers at her back, clearly wishing she could be throwing daggers into it instead.

Meiling was either extremely brave, or utterly empty-headed.

Probably both.

“Want me to go get you some food, too, Mistress Patchouli? It looks so tasty!”

I looked over at the grill. Though Sakuya’s anger was subsiding, that was only a superficial heat, and I couldn’t help but worry that the hot air around the grill itself would prove too much for my frail constitution.

“Mm, please,” I gave a slight nod. “Feel free to take some for yourself, as well. I want you to enjoy yourself tonight, Koakuma.”

“Go~t it!”

“Oh, I’ll come with you, Koakuma. Sakuya’s cooking is always incredible…” Alice smiled, taking Koakuma’s hand as the two of them walked a short ways over to the grill. Though she’d gone there on my command, it wasn’t long before she was happily chatting to Meiling, Sakuya, and Flandre. Flan had seemed a little shaky around Koakuma at the start of the evening, but Sacchan had always been so good with kids that it took no time at all before she started warming up to her. 

I was pretty happy to just see her relaxing like this. I could wait a little longer for food if it meant she got to have a great time with everyone. Honestly, I couldn’t get enough of watching the way she’d been smiling all night, so happy and carefree.

As her master, I resolved to do everything in my power to see that smile never fade.

“I’m glad you both seem to be enjoying yourselves,” the host of the party interjected from the rather comfy looking spot she’d picked for herself. “I thought you might have a bad time, but you’ve both been smiling a great deal. Enjoying the compliments that much, are we?” Remi looked up at me with a teasing grin, patting the empty space of blanket next to her.

“Perhaps I am,” I smiled gently, ignoring the slight heat in my cheeks to the best of my abilities. Though the party was, ostensibly, for the benefit of Flandre (and to assuage Remi’s boredom, though she likely wouldn’t admit that), with the amount of attention Koakuma and I had received, it was easy to mistake it for an event held in our honor.

And honestly, it felt kinda nice! I guess, comfy as I’d been since coming to this world, I was still a little worried about feeling like an outsider around everyone else. Getting to spend a night like this with everyone else put those fears to bed pretty soundly!

“Care to sit with me, Patchy? I’m sure you could use a rest.” 

_ I have been standing for quite some time… _

I nodded, smoothed out the back of my dress, and took a seat on the huge blanket that had been laid out for the occasion, gazing up at the sky that would soon, I was told, be filled with enough fireworks to light all of Gensokyo. Extravagant as the claim was, I had little reason to doubt it.

Apparently, the idea to celebrate with fireworks came from Sumireko Usami, another transplant from Tokyo. Though her journey was decidedly unlike my own, and I was certain that her Tokyo and mine were not, in fact, one and the same.

Still, it’d be fun to meet her one day!

“I trust you don’t mind Alice’s attendance? Koakuma had mentioned the party to her and it only seemed fair to extend an invitation.”

“Not in the least. There’s more than enough food for everyone, and the greater the number able to appreciate the festivities, the more enjoyable they should be for everyone. Besides, the puppeteer has been visiting us so much lately, it almost feels as if she’s a resident of the mansion herself at this point.”

_ Yeah...I, uhhh...think she’s maybe into me now… _

“I brought food, Mistress! Miss Remilia, is it alright if I take a seat with Mistress Patchouli? I can come back later if I’m interrupting!”

Koakuma soon returned with a plate stacked with food, and was smiling warmly as the rest of the party’s attendants—save for Sakuya, who had left the grill to light the fireworks—found places for themselves on the blanket.

Guess the show’d be starting any second.

“Oh, no, please sit. It would be a great shame if you couldn’t watch the fireworks with your mistress.”

“Ehehe, thank you~!”

With a giggle, my familiar plopped herself down at my side, snuggling up close to me while we got ready to watch the fireworks.

Looking up at the sky like this, arm in arm...it almost felt like we were back in Tokyo.

Honestly, it made me extra happy thinking of tonight like that, as a date that I never got to take Sacchan on back then.

“It seems now is a perfect opportunity to admit that I wasn’t entirely honest when I said the party was just for Flan,” Remi said to us, wearing a grin that was way more devilish than anything even Koakuma could manage.

“Ehehe, really? She’s having such a good time though, Miss Remilia!”

“Mmm, and I’m definitely glad for that, but there’s been more reason to celebrate as of late. It’s something I’ve had on my mind since we spoke in the clock tower.”

“Oh? Hiding something, Remi?”

“I could ask the same of you and Koakuma, Patchy. But, I understand. It must be difficult to open up about.”

_ There’s...no way she knows, right? _

“...I’m not quite sure what you’re implying.”

“Oh? Well, let’s just say a pair of...very special visitors arrived at the mansion recently. They’ve come from quite far away, and one of them even damaged the clock tower when they first showed up. Stil, regardless of their circumstances, they’re residents of my mansion, and I perish the thought of them feeling unwelcome.”

_ Remi… _

Of course she’d found out. Even  _ if _ Koakuma and I had taken the utmost care, Remi was always far more astute than she often seemed.

But, look...I guess I hadn’t exactly been  _ that _ subtle. I ran around the mansion, passed out, then woke up and decided to make myself ultra-voluptuous outta nowhere. I guess it’d be hard not to notice that something was up, y’know?

Still, Remi  _ was _ tricky… Admitting our whole situation to her would likely prove troublesome, so I thought it best to play coy. There were sure to be specificities that even she was unaware of, and if I could one day use that ignorance to my advantage, then-

“Ehehe, thank you so much, Miss Remilia! Every day’s been lovely since I arrived, and this party’s definitely been a highlight!”

“Mukyu?!”

_ Sacchan?! What if anyone else heard that?! _

I looked around, certain I’d find everyone’s eyes firmly fixed on us. And yet, nobody seemed even the least bit interested in our conversation. They were all too caught up in the festivities and the other people around them to notice us at all.

“Mistress might be a little too nervous to say so, but I just know she feels the same!”

“Oh, there’s no need to reassure me! Patchy’s been my dear friend for a very long time, you know? It took me awhile to notice in your case, Koakuma, but with her...I could tell something was different the moment I laid eyes on her walking up the clock tower’s stairs.”

“...I’m still me, Remi. That hasn’t changed in the least.”

“Mmm,” she nodded. “You most certainly are. You’ll always be my dear, dear friend. But two of you have yet to formally introduce yourselves, so I felt that tonight would be a good opportunity for you both.”

“Ahahaha! She really figured us out, huh, Mistress?”

Koakuma giggled, then wrapped me up in a gentle hug, smiling as she looked at Remi.

“My name’s Saori, Mistress’s ever-faithful familiar! It’s lovely to meet you, Miss Remilia!”

_ We’re really just doing this?! _

“And you as well. I trust you’ll tell me your Mistress’s name if she’s too shy to manage it, yes?”

“Ehehe, she’ll say it~!”

_ Well, I can trust Remi to keep a secret, if nothing else. Nobody else in Gensokyo needs to know, at least not until we’re ready. _

It was crazy, y’know? Seeing Sacchan go from being so shy it looked like she was gonna shrink into her own shadow half the time to just...blurting out stuff that I couldn’t come close to managing? She really was coming into her own here.

Though she, much like Koakuma, had always been the wind at my back, and it wasn’t any different here. She was still my friend, giving me the push I so badly needed.

I hugged Sacchan back tightly as I flashed Remi a huge grin.

I was getting fired up, and I wanted them both to know it!

“Now there’s an expression I never thought I’d see that face wearing…” Remi smirked.

“Wanted to greet you properly, I guess! The name’s Hina! Nice to meet you, Remi!”

Remi stared at me for a moment, completely dumbstruck.

“I don’t believe I said anything strange, did I?”

And then she burst out laughing, looking every bit like a playful child.

“No, no, not at all! It’s a pleasure to meet you both. That nickname is reserved for you two, though, so do try not to spread it.”

As absurd as it was to say, my familiar saw fit to reward me for my bravery, and planted a soft kiss on my cheek.

“Love you so~ much, Mistress!”

Before I could respond in kind, the loud boom of a firework roared over Gensokyo, and Koakuma pulled out of the hug excitedly to watch the festivities. This was shortly followed by a shout that, impressively, rivaled the firework’s destructive volume.

“Whoooooah! See that one, Flan?! Fireworks are  _ so  _ cool!”

Still, I couldn’t help but smirk.

I took my familiar’s hand, and watched the show along with all of them, everyone’s heads turned to the stars painting the Gensokyo sky, interspersed with colorful bursts from the fireworks dutifully prepared by Sakuya.

I knew that nothing I could say would be heard over the noise of the show, but Koakuma  _ was _ my familiar, so I knew my feelings would be received all the same, loud and clear, no matter what happens around us. And, though our contract did not work both ways, leaving her feelings a frequent mystery to me, I was certain that I was receiving hers as well.

There was, simply put, no better explanation for the comfortable, secure warmth at my side, and the happiness imparted to my palm by her fingers interlinking with mine.

“I know...we’re going to have so many more wonderful moments, Mistress…”

I don’t know if I actually heard her saying that, or if it was simply divined from the intimacy of her touch.

“We will…”

In the end, it didn’t matter where it came from, because our feelings—all of them—were one.


End file.
